Into the West

This is 6 part min-series, 90 minutes each episode. This is a large scale production for a TV mini-series made by DreamWorks for TNT. It follows mainly 2 families in the 19th century as the wild west gets conquered.

One family is the Wheelers. They are wheel makers. Some of the family set out to go west seeking fortune and adventure. The other is a Native American family struggling to fight, survive, and adapt to the invading white world.

The production is big but sometimes just not big enough. The first lead Matthew Settle as Jacob Wheeler is just too weak of an actor. The native American actors were generally good. The ever changing characters do not allow for an easy even flow. This is especially true when different actors are used to portray the same character at different ages.

The stories are compelling, but the disjointed nature of the stories do disrupt its flow. Overall they make for some good single movies, but not as much as a single storyline.

I've been watching this series since it began, and it really gives both sides of the picture. The performances of Native American actors, especially Irene Bedard (Pocahontas' voice) are solid. The other characters are significant but less impressive. The locations are scenic, and the camera work is sharp as well.

I would recommend as a supplement a recent book, "Making the White Man's Indian: Native Americnas and Hollywood Movies." The book covers 100 years of Indians in the movies and gives many behind-the-scenes stories. If you're interested in the subject and like movies about Native Americans, watch the series and check out this book.

I watched this not expecting much, and though the start was slow the show really picked up momentum by the second half. Acting was solid, but the storyline is what I think will really be good. I enjoyed the portrayal of both the settler/native side of the story. One thing that really makes the show unique is the use of native language- you hear English, several native languages, Spanish, and so on. That made it feel more authentic. I think that people who are interested in native culture will enjoy it, since it tells things from that point of view, but without being preachy or heavy handed- there are good and bad characters in both cultures. My only complaint is that the main character, Wheeler, is a little wide eyed and borders on corny at times, but hopefully that will get better as the series goes on.

I have diligently watched this series since the beginning. I have re-watched all the episodes at least twice.

Having some knowledge of Native American history, I have found that again Spielberg has done his homework on both sides of the journey west.

I feel that he has portrayed both sides more than fair and hope that this movie will open the eyes of those who still believe in the stereo typed "Indian, Pioneer, and Mountain Man. I hope that this movie again will make people understand what happens to "Nations" when there is prejudice and ignorance.

I found some inconsistencies in some of the issues with the personal lives of Indians, that I am fairly sure are not true. For example men didn't attend the births of their children..This was considered bad luck.

I also felt sometimes that I must of missed something. For example, Naomi was with the wagon train that was attacked by the Cheyenne? Then she was suddenly named "Five Horses." I assume that meant she was bought from those that captured her from the wagon train. This whole episode, though romantic was a bit unrealistic.Women of her age were seldom if ever adopted into any tribe. They were consdered to be "untrainable."

I found the language a bit stilted at times, but, considering that a lot of these actors are from other tribes, I think they did exceptionally well.

I have waited since Dances with Wolves for a good, honest portrayal of Native Americans...I finally got it...Thank you to all involved!

Mitakuye Oyasin

'Hanble Omani Winyan

My husband and I have really enjoyed the two episodes that have aired so far and we are eagerly anticipating the remaining episodes. This mini series is both entertaining and educational. I can only imagine the effort that was spent to recreate the look and feel of that period in time. The use of the native American language adds realism. Can you imagine how unrealistic it would look if all the native Americans spoke fluent English? This movie does a great job of depicting the journey west as something both exciting and extremely dangerous. I noticed in the comments section that some viewers find certain plot scenes unrealistic. You have to realize that the settlers were ordinary people with no special training regarding how to survive out west, therefore they succumb to drowning, diseases, and yes, getting run over by a wagon.

I also thought the casting was well done in this movie. I enjoyed watching Keri Russell, Matthew Settle, Jay Tavare, and the rest of the cast. At times the movie is moving at such a fast pace that I got the impression scenes were left out in order to fit into the time slot allowed. I hope a DVD will be released so we may see some extra scenes. I would highly recommend this movie to families or anyone who enjoys great entertainment.