The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Not first, nor last for great Native American epics.
Presentation:
Perhaps the most well known Native American epic, there are a few reasons this one doesn’t rank that highly for me. While known for explosive bank heists, Michael Mann first created a period piece in colonial America between Redcoats and the French. This is personally one of the least interesting time periods for me, but more importantly I found the Hollywood appeal underwhelming. The action is not strong despite the impressive costumes and size of cast with fake combat and overly zoomed explosions. The romantic chemistry felt forced and inappropriate for a film centered around revenge and the visuals didn’t particularly dazzle me with its dim color grade.
Conclusion:
This is likely a beloved film that is middle of the pack in comparison to some of my favorites including The Revenant and Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. It’s by no means a bad film and it has Daniel Day Lewis in it (though a relatively average performance). If you’re looking for deeper storytelling rather than popcorn production flicks, this is definitely not the last in the line of great Native American epics.
Recommendations
Bank heists were meant to be done in suits.