Dances with Wolves (1990)

• Year: 1990
• Released: 21 Nov 1990
• Country: United States, United Kingdom
• Adwords: Won 7 Oscars. 51 wins & 38 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Dances_with_Wolves
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/dances-with-wolves
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English, Sioux, Pawnee
• MPA Rating: PG-13
• Genre: Adventure, Drama, Western
• Runtime: 181 min
• Writer: Michael Blake
• Director: Kevin Costner
• Cast: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene
• Keywords: based on novel or book, friendship, 19th century, native american, snow,

	8.0/10
	72/100
	83% – Critics
	87% – Audience

Dances with Wolves Storyline

Having been sent to a remote outpost in the wilderness of the Dakota territory during the American Civil War, Lieutenant John Dunbar encounters, and is eventually accepted into, the local Sioux tribe. He is known as “Dances with Wolves” to them and as time passes he becomes enamoured by the beautiful “Stands With a Fist”. Not soon after, the frontier becomes the frontier no more, and as the army advances on the plains, John must make a decision that will not only affect him, but also the lives of the natives he now calls his people.

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Dances with Wolves Movie Reviews

Fantastic

It’s hard to think of blockbuster films that portray Native Americans as well as this one does. They are human beings here, with different personalities, intelligence, dignity, culture, and humor. The fact that a major Hollywood film had a good portion of its dialogue spoken in Lakota, subtitled in English, is fantastic. The portrayal of white cruelty, such as in the scene with rotting buffalo carcasses littering the prairie, invert the classic narrative, both in the genre of Westerns and in how history is often taught. The film identifies who the real savages were, and Kevin Costner should get a lot of credit for that.

The film is of epic length, and by no means perfect. I would have preferred it without the love story, and for more centering on the native characters. The soundtrack is also intrusive, and there were many instances where I found myself thinking that the scene would have played more effectively had it been set to minimal audio. As for the criticism that it uses the ‘white savior’ trope, I didn’t see it that way – if anything, Costner’s character is the one saved, both spiritually and then physically as he’s about to be hanged for treason. It’s much more about the beauty of coexistence and of respecting other cultures, and how tragic the historical genocide was.

The film is clearly a labor of love, and Costner took a lot of risks with it. The casting of Native actors quite honestly felt decades ahead of its time, and Graham Greene (Kicking Bird), Rodney A. Grant (Wind In His Hair), and Floyd Red Crow Westerman (Chief Ten Bears) are all wonderful. The cinematography on location mostly in South Dakota is simply stunning. However, what I love most about it is its heart, and how it shows simple appreciation for the Sioux people. “They were a people so eager to laugh, so devoted to family, so dedicated to each other. The only word that comes to mind is harmony,” the main character says. Would love to see more films like this, and from a native perspective. 31 years later, it’s long overdue, but give Costner credit for what he accomplished in 1990.

Exceptionally gorgeous and touching

This is an amazing film–particularly from an artistic point of view as well as the film’s ability to convey emotion. When I saw this film in the theater, I felt totally drained and very sad, so it’s obvious that Kevin Costner did a great job in directing this film. It was just wonderful.

Now this isn’t to say that the film is perfect. While great, in many ways the film makes the same mistake old-time Westerns used to make–they present characters in simple and black/white terms. In the old days, Indians were seen as savage, stupid and brutal–and for the most part, that’s exactly how the Whites are portrayed in the film. Plus, the Sioux are practically perfect in every way. It’s nice to see the deficiencies of older films are being counter-balanced–but it isn’t very accurate either. In fact, twenty years earlier, I think LITTLE BIG MAN did a better job in showing the natives in a more realistic manner. The characters weren’t quite as one-dimensional in this earlier film.

Now despite this handicap, DANCES WITH WOLVES is still a marvelous film and deserved Oscar recognition–and not for reasons of political correctness. A combination of great evocative music, breathtaking cinematography and excellent acting made this one of the great films of the 1990s. However, from a purely historical point of view, it isn’t the best history lesson–though it is a darn bit closer to the truth than you’d see in most other films of the genre.

A marvel from beginning to end

Along with Edward Scissorhands and Goodfellas, Dances with Wolves is one of my favourites of 1990. It is a wonderful film, and a marvel from beginning to end. I am not a Kevin Costner basher, he has done some work I don’t care for, but this and a few others(Field of Dreams for instance) actually does show he has talent. He does do a heartfelt job directing, and his acting isn’t too shabby either, in fact he gives a certain decency to Dunbar which I had difficulty not empathising with. He is very well supported by Graheme Greene and Mary McDonell who is especially brilliant. The cinematography and scenery are just magnificent, while John Barry’s score is nothing short of amazing. The moving climax gives further emotional weight to an already poignant story, while the script is wholly credible and the characters feel real. In conclusion, a fine film and I had no problem with its Best Picture win. 10/10 Bethany Cox