El último de los mohicanos

James Fenimore Cooper's trusty old nineteenth century novel 'The Last of the Mohicans' has provided a surprisingly sound springboard for a film that tries and succeeds in restoring a profound respect for the Native Americans. Yes, it is a story about the Indians and their culture desecrated by the arrival of European entrepreneurs and colonists all relating to Hawkeye/Nathaniel Poe (Daniel Day-Lewis), who as a child was taken by the Mohawk tribe and raised by wise Chingachgook (Russell Means) with the graceful skills and philosophy of the Native Americans. And it is through his eyes that we are brought into the universe through the eyes of the Indians.

The story is well known and needn't be elaborated once again. Suffice it say that Hawkeye becomes the scout who leads British family Munro including Colonel (Maurice Roëves) and his daughters Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May) into upstate New York and along the way find altercations with the French and with the Huron Indians, especially one Magua (Wes Studi) whose loathing for Munro's devastation of his village drives him to vengeance against the entire Munro family. Hawkeye and his ally Uncas (Eric Schweig) protect their lieges while steadfastly holding to the honor of their heritage. And of course during the harrowing events Hawkeye and Cora fall in love and Hawkeye takes great risks against his own life to ultimately defend Cora and her family.

Yes, there are many battle scenes, great reenactment of the scenery of the novel, and villains in all camps that provide the stormy progress of the novel. But it is in the quiet moments where Chingachgook speaks about the Great Spirit, the sanctity of nature, and his waiting to join the Great Council in the sky as the last of the Mohicans that the film's power is best communicated. The acting is very fine and the cinematography is splendid. This is a film worth seeing, one whose 117 minutes fly by leaving the viewer with a renewed respect for Native American philosophy. Grady Harp

This film, for reasons that are not completely obvious to me, struck a chord. It was in part the amazing location shots, partly the characters, partly the music and the action sequences. As for the (relatively) under-developed romance between the hero and heroine - all I can say is that the line that Hawkeye delivers when Cora Munro challenges this rough colonial who has the temerity to gaze upon her (a colonel's daughter) and says (essentially): 'Who are you looking at?' Hawkeye answers: 'You, Ma'am. I'm looking at you.' Priceless.

Interestingly, archeologists have recently excavated the site of Fort William Henry and discovered many interesting things, none of which contradict the events described by Fenimore Cooper. The attack on the defeated column in the woods also appears to be historically accurate.

This film, though imperfect, ranks with me as one of the best action movies of all time.

The Last of the Mohicans is a timeless tale of the 18th century frontier and the virtue and tragedy that results when the uniquely different cultures of the French, English, Native Americans, and colonists collide. Based on James Fenimore Cooper's literary genius, The Last of the Mohicans transports the viewer back to a time of America's youth in a brilliant, mesmerizing fashion.

The story centers on an eclectic band of travelers, thrust together by fate and their attempt to escape danger and reach the besieged British fort, William-Henry. Deep within the western forests of colonial New York, Hawkeye, the white, adopted son and brother of the Mohicans, tries desperately to avoid an ever-increasing war. He is forced to act when, along with his Mohican father and brother, he encounters two endangered sisters trying to reach their father, a British colonel in command at the fort. Hawkeye, the rustic tracker, and Cora, the refined, eldest daughter, are naturally drawn together (much to the dismay of Major Heyward, an intriguing character who also vies for Cora's affections). Tensions and passions arise between the characters as a whirlwind of conflict and violence rages around them. In the end, each character must face heart-wrenching decisions that will affect their very lives, and the lives of those around them.

I especially love the way that the film depicts the perspectives of each of the groups involved. Whether the group is competing for military superiority or simple existence in their homeland, the viewer is given a true sense of their mindset in the midst of a great conflict. It is difficult to say one side or the other is completely to blame for the events that take place. Even the story's main antagonist, Magua (wonderfully portrayed by Wes Studi, Dances with Wolves) draws in a fair amount of empathy.

The Last of the Mohicans is a marvelous, visual adventure that thoroughly reveals the horrors of warfare, the wildness of a chaste frontier, and the fated and ill-fated romances of the characters involved.

This film is a must see, and despite what some people say about the directing style being 'offensive', I couldn't disagree more. First of all, I truly appreciated the more balanced portrayal of the native American tribes. Previous films often displayed the tribes as bumbling savages with no moral sense and the 'white man' always taking the moral high ground. Michael Mann showed the equal amount of savagery that men from all walks of life are capable of and the universal lack of compassion often abundant in times of war.

The directing style is rich and Mann knows how to affect the audience's mood with his use of perspectives. The acting and music was superb. My only issue with the whole film was the limited shots of Uncas, whom I thought was just as interesting a character as Hawkeye!

9 of 10

The Last Of The Mohicans

This is turning out to be one of my most favourite romantic epics of all time. I know most people do not see this as romantic as it is a classic battle movie. As a matter of fact, seeing the trailer and the posters left me with the impression that this is indeed a war movie, what with the battle scenes and all; something along the lines of `Braveheart'. But upon seeing the movie, I was awed by the unexpected change in genre. The movie is a masterpiece, and all the actors and actresses certainly do amazing jobs. Daniel Day Lewis is simply amazing as Hawkeye. Though I usually try to read some of the more interesting books based on which movies are made, I haven't read the book in this case. But I sincerely doubt whether the book can be as good. Plus, I am told that the movie and the book have little in common.

Madeline Stowe is stunning as Cora Munro, and Jodhi May was certainly impressive as the frail dependent younger sister. Nathaniel, or ‘Hawkeye', is the adopted son of Chingachgook, played by Russell Means, whose real and lone son Uncas contributes to the team's claim of being the last of the Mohican clan. The British recruitment of Militia from its colonies during a time of war against France brings about a certain unrest. And it is further deepened by the character of Magua, who is a Huron warrior bent on a personal vendetta against British Colonel Munro, and his family. Magua is bent on the utter destruction of Colonel Munro and his two daughters, hence ‘wiping his seed from the earth'. Chingachgook and his two sons become entwined in between all this. To top that, Nathaniel falls in love with Cora and their love story takes the show from there. It is sensually and emotionally stimulating, and we as the audience feels engulfed in the mastery.

The love story I liked better was the one played in the background, an story that is absent, yet strongly felt throughout the movie. I am referring to the love story between Eric Schweig's character, Uncas and Alice Munro, played by Jodhi May. It is the subtleness and the overtone-nature of the love that builds in us a sense of involvement. To the best of my memory, they never spoke a word to each other, but the passion is strongly felt. And the climax really takes us to another level of appreciation.

Wes Studi is probably the fiercest villain I have seen on screen. His mere presence builds an acute level of intimidation. The character portrayal is flawless, and the casting done is excellent. I do not believe that anybody…, anybody at all, could have replaced Wes in this movie. The fierceness, the anger, the viciousness, the… the everything required to build up the character… He has done all that. Probably his best performance yet.

The music is sort of unconventional. Usually, the pace of the music is in sync with the pace of the action on screen. But in this case, the same slow music floods the scenes whether the pace on-screen is fast or slow. If I had heard somebody else say that, I certainly would have thought that it would not be effective. But amazingly, this unconventional approach works. And how! The music is probably the most addictive feature about the movie. After the first time I saw it, the music lingered in my mind for a month. All my waking moments, my mind was echoing that brilliant piece of work. I am a very very huge fan of Hans Zimmer, but I doubt if even he could have done a better job.

I have seen the movie eight times to date. And I will definitely see it again. The climactic scene is so moving that I have lost count how many times I've seen that.