User reviews

I really wonder why this movie is rated rather low on IMDb (6.5/10 right now). This is a very good movie with a great, but disturbing message, perhaps even more because it was based on real events.

It tells the story of an Indian reservation in South Dakota in the seventies. There seems to be some kind of war going on between traditionalist and progressive Indians. The traditionalists are accused of a murder on an important member of the progressive group and two FBI agents will investigate it. As their investigation goes on, one of them will find out what the real reasons are why he is there...

This is a very good thriller with a lot of Indian mystic influences, but who doesn't close an eye for the reality these people were living in. It has been based on true events, but has been changed slightly because of law suits, but it still shows how the Indians were seen and treated at the time. It's definitely a must see movie and therefor I reward it with an 8/10.

What's with the low rating for this film? Thunderheart is a superb thriller about Native American Indians. It's well-acted, well-paced, and we get a great sense of tension and high stakes throughout the film. Remaining respectful to the indians, but not getting syrupy or over-glorifying it, it's quite educational about culture. I found it to be intellectual as well as a good trip. And a great job by Val Kilmer.

Who should see this film:

-- action/thriller types

-- drama types with an interest in Native American Indians

I'll give "Thunderheart" a well-deserved 8 out of 10.

Michael Apted has had a few indifferent movies, but Thunderheart is in my view his best. Apted spotlights the tribal Indian community in Badlands, South Dakota, exploring the mysticism of the Sioux culture and examining the impact of its forced co-existence with the modern American way of life. This juxtaposed mix of two cultures is best exemplified by Val Kilmer, who plays a young, brash and cocky FBI investigator with Sioux blood sent "back home" to investigate a homicide.

The murder investigation proves to be the tip of the iceberg, revealing a greater conspiracy to steal the land away from the Sioux. There is a surreal edge to the movie throughout, balanced well with an engaging and gripping story line. Kilmer is at his best here, aided well by a great supporting cast. The action was thick and fast, surrounded by an aura of mystical magic that was best supplied by James Horner's thumping soundtrack. For two hours I was enthralled. This is an excellent movie.

My mother, sisters and I are enrolled Tribal members of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota, where my mother was born and raised. This movie is quite authentic in its treatment of Lakota (Sioux) culture and traditions without getting caught up in romanticism. Portrayals of our sacred Ghost Dance and other ceremonies give the viewer a glimpse into our heritage and spirituality, while he fact-based storyline takes the viewer on a ride into 1970's reservation life complete with FBI cover ups and abuse of power. Seeing this movie just might make you an activist!

Ray Levoi (Val Kilmer) is an FBI agent with some Sioux ancestry. William Dawes (Fred Dalton Thompson) sends him to investigate murders on tribal land in the badlands of South Dakota with veteran agent Frank 'Cooch' Coutelle (Sam Shepard). There is civil conflict from the radical Aboriginal Rights Movement and they are the prime suspect. Walter Crow Horse (Graham Greene) is local tribal police. Tribal president Jack Milton (Fred Ward) and his thugs are hunting for members of ARM. Levoi is forced to reawaken his native roots.

This has a bit of a thriller element but mostly, it has a nice take on modern native cultural troubles. Val Kilmer is a bit too white to play a mix-race character. On the other hand, there are great native actors. Director Michael Apted is able to be sensitive to real native culture without talking down to it.

Thunderheart is a standard action/thriller, bolstered somewhat by the fact that it is based on fact. The plotting, acting and directing are all slightly above average, but the real highlight is Graham Greene, who is a constant enigma throughout the film. Also reccomended is the documentary Incident at Oglala, which covers the true events of which this film is based on.

Best Bit: The badger!

Worst Bit: That this thing actually happened! 7/10

Many have dismissed this film as 'too Hollywood' or fictionalized. Many don't understand just what went on in 'The Incident at Oglala'. Others wonder why it was so under-promoted. The US Government doesn't want anything promoted that shows their VERY dark side. Many US citizens do not know, do not want to know, or refuse to believe that their government does the exact same things that we chastise other governments for. I'm Native American myself (Cherokee/Powhattan), a tribal volunteer, and a Native Activist. The FBI has a file on me. My phone is tapped. This is what happens when you're involved in activities that reveal what your government is really up to. Yes, it is a 'fictionalized' account, but if you're familiar with the story, you know that Fred Ward is former chairman Dick Wilson, who helped the US Government to draw attention away from the fact that he was selling off 1/8 of the Pine Ridge Reservation for uranium mining, without the rest of the people knowing. Jimmy Looks Twice is vaguely based on Leonard Peltier (though I don't think anyone has claimed Leonard could shapeshift), and Maggie Eagle Bear is an excellent description of Anna Mae Aquash, who was murdered--the FBI tried to have her illegally buried under an assumed name, then just as Jane Doe, and because she had distinctive jewelry on her hands that couldn't be removed due to post-mortem swelling, they CUT OFF HER HANDS...sent them off allegedly for 'fingerprinting', and what do you know? They got lost. The book by Peter Mathiessen, "In the Spirit Of Crazy Horse" was kept from publishment for 8 years by the government who did not want the story out. Some of my fave lines? Cooch's "ARM is on it's last legs, Ray..." And Crowhorse's reaction to Ray's threat about withholding information, "So sue (Sioux) me..." And the scenery is so stark and beautiful. I cry every time I watch it. Fast action shoot-em-ups despite a yard full of kids? It happened. That's not Hollywood. The FBI was shooting up an 'encampment' full of women and kids at Oglala. They don't care. The only good Indian is a dead Indian. It's been this way for 500 years, and it continues today.

Incisive look into Indian reservation life, with the assimilationists against the nativists, with part Indian federal agent Ray Levoi (Val Kilmer) sent in with Frank Coutelle (Sam Sheperd) to sort it out and, in doing so, discover his inner warrior. Lots of exotic Indian customs, a beautiful, intelligent, gutsy squaw (Sheila Tousey) is a highlight, but the overblown feel-good ending doesn't ring true...

Maybe it's because this film followed in the shadow of "Dances With Wolves"-- or maybe it just wasn't marketed well-- but it's beyond me and all those I know who have seen it why this movie didn't do better in the theatres.

All the pieces are there: great actors (and acting), amazing characters, excellent cinematography, a believable, engrossing, and simply wonderful storyline, mystery, suspense, comedy. I did not want this movie to end! A well loved movie by many. Rent it now.

This is one of those films which you remember years later. I think the acting is excellent, and the backdrop of the massacre at Wounded Knee was just haunting. It's an overlooked movie I always tell friends about. The plot may seem standard, but I thought that it had enough twists to be interesting. The film opened my eyes to the sad chapter of history that was the colonizing of the West. As an American, I've been enamored of Native American history and culture since watching this film. I've heard that Val Kilmer has some Native blood in him, not sure which tribe. For some reason, his acting was really convincing, as the 'mixed' blood struggling with his own ambivalence and personal issues with his father.

This movie, based upon a true incident at the Oglala Indian Reservation in South Dakota, seamlessly combines great acting, much of it by native Americans, taut direction, and delicious dialogue. It is thought-provoking, enlightening, well-paced, and always entertaining. As poignant a movie as I've ever seen, I rate this alongside L.A. Confidential, Life Is Beautiful, as one of the Three top movies of the 1990's. Val Kilmer has never been better and Graham Greene is simply magnificent, even better than he was in Dances with Wolves. This is a must-see for the entire family.

This well done action movie was inspired by true events from the mid 70s and is marked by authentic characters, engaging action sequences and above average dialog which drives a formulaic, but interesting, story. Michael Apted deserves credit for casting North American Indians in several key roles, instead of slipping in unconvincing impostors (Fred Ward, notwithstanding). Both Tousey and Thin Elk were on screen for the first time in this movie and did very well. Both Kilmer and Greene give wonderful performances, as usual, and are backed up by the comfortable professional, Sam Shepard. The ending is clichéd, but not bad. All in all, this is a solid action choice.

FBI agent, Ray Lavoie (Val Kilmer) has managed to suppress the Indian side of his heritage, but is forced to confront it, when he is chosen to join a murder investigation on a South Dakota Indian Reservation. His local supervisor in the area is Frank Coutelle (Shepard), who explains that there is internal strife between two factions on the reserve and armed men are everywhere. Along the way, Lavoie meets a sarcastic, but savvy, local lawman, Walter Crow Horse (Greene) and a fiery, pacifistic activist in Maggie Eagle Bear (Tousey). The area is a powder keg of brewing violence and Lavoie has to both solve the mystery on the reserve, and the mystery in his own heart about his own background.

I like this movie very much and have seen it several times. On top of being an enjoyable action film it has a little to say about the plight of those whose story it tells. Kilmer is solid, as always and both Green and Thin Elk's characters are worth seeing. If you have not caught this one, check it out.

This work was first posted on realmoviereview.com

Thunderheart is an enjoyable movie that i recommend to everyone. Although the story is pretty simple, you won't be disappointed by it. There are 3 great things about this film:

1. Val Kilmer. He is great, as he always is, and he shows us again that, although he can't be considered a "star", he is one of the most talented actors of his time.

2. The fact that the story, although it has some cliches, avoids some pathetic and predictable situations. Example? Unlike many movies of his kind, there is NO romance, no love story between Val and Maggie.

3. the view of the indian comunity. Well built, presenting everything, from the poor houses to the tradition.

There are of course bad points, but they can't overcome the satisfying feeling you have after watching this film.

My vote: 7.5 out of 10.

"Thunderheart" would not even be an average movie without Graham Greene's wonderful performance. As reservation sheriff, his character correctly interprets a brutal murder using both mysticism and logic. Val Kilmer eventually realizes that his fellow F.B.I. agent is leading him on a road to nowhere, and that Graham Greene is onto the truth behind the killing. At almost two hours, the film seems endless, and only Graham Greene's humorous observations, break the sometimes monotonous and sometimes confusing story. The totally acceptable acting, interesting music, and beautiful locations help. The conclusion actually saves the movie, because up to that point, the whole thing seemed to be losing momentum. - MERK

I really liked this film and gave it a 7 because of the underlying message and the way that it reaches out and grabs the viewer's attention. The way that Ray found his inner self through his Lakota roots was amazing! He went to the Pine Ridge rez in South Dakota to "solve a murder case" with his partner Frank Coutelle. However he realized the real reason why he went there.

Ray's pride arose the minute he found out that the real reason why him and the other FBI agents travelled to South Dakota, and it wasn't to investigate a murder. It was then that Ray realized that he was there to try and solve the real dilemma that was occurring (sorry... I can't say what that is since I would be spoiling the whole story plot).

But.............. anyways............... this is only my 2 cents worth :D I hope this review is satisfactory enough.. thanks alot for allowing me to let you know what I think about this film.

This movie blasted me in the theater! I had heard from friends & relatives how beautiful the Badlands were. The cinematography of this film brought that beauty directly at me. The script was concise & smart. I enjoy scripts that require my attention to there detail.

Most of all, the actors excelled in their parts. Val Kilmer handled the transitions perfectly: from disinterested agent to nonbeliever to skeptic to reluctant believer to full realization without a seam! I really like Fred Ward and hated his character in this movie. Sam Shephard provided his consistent great performance. I think it was the first time I had seen Graham Greene. He turned in a fabulous performance.

This film insures that you question everything you learned from a textbook. It brings you in, shows you another viewpoint, illustrates the other side of the story, and demands that you think before you take a side. I paid to see this film twice in the theater and bought the DVD when it was released. I watch it regularly.

If I had to pick another film that had similar power, it would be "In Pursuit Of Honor" with Don Johnson & Craig Sheffer.

Thunderheart (1992) begins with a call: a murder on Native American land and an FBI agent sent to investigate. Ray Levoi (Val Kilmer) has little connection to his Sioux heritage, but just enough for the government to see him as the ideal man to "communicate" with the local community. Alongside veteran agent Frank Coutelle (Sam Shepard), he lands in a tense landscape: a deep division between Indigenous people fiercely defending their traditions and others aligning themselves with government interests. As Ray sets foot on this land, he realizes the mission is not just about solving a crime - it's about walking through a place where history's wounds are still bleeding.

The crime plot drives the story, but it's not what sustains it. There's an official investigation pointing toward a militant Indigenous group accused of radicalism. But what the film subtly - or not so subtly - reveals is that the real extremism might be lurking behind the scenes of official order. What stands out most, however, isn't the unraveling of the mystery, but the encounters along the way. There's a shaman, Grandpa Reaches, who says little but means everything, and a Native officer, Walter Crow Horse, who bridges two worlds - between what has been forgotten and what refuses to die. The exchanges between these characters aren't just about information: they're about gestures, respect, silence - and these carry a weight the script, thankfully, doesn't rush past.

Even if the narrative follows predictable paths - the agent realizing something's off within his own institution, the partner who might not be so trustworthy, the unveiling of hidden interests - there's a groundedness in how everything unfolds. The land is harsh, but relationships bloom there with a kind of stubborn strength. The film never hides too much about what's going to happen - and maybe it doesn't want to. The interest lies less in "who did it?" and more in "who changes?" And that's where Thunderheart hits its mark. Kilmer, despite the conveniently crafted mixed heritage of his character, works because he listens - and the characters around him have something worth saying. When the narrative leans less on mystery and more on connection, it breathes easier. As if letting the desert speak.

Yes, the plot is clear - early on, the scent of uranium seeps into the story, the villains are obvious, and the path seems mapped out before the first step. But something alive endures between a ceremonial phrase and a lit pipe. What makes Thunderheart work isn't what it reveals at the end, but what it plants along the way. In the small exchanges, the rituals, the trust slowly built between Ray and Crow Horse, the film finds a genuine heartbeat. It's not always subtle, not always graceful - but it's warm. And sometimes, that's enough: a film where the bond holds together what the plot lets go of.

This movie has a 6.8 rating. A classic example of why i take ratings and reviews with a grain of salt. Easily a top 10 favorite of mine. The only flaw was how the movie only skimmed the surface with how the FBI dedicates huge rescources in surveilance and espionage on reservations. Great movie though. My favorite scene was the key in the coffee can. Classic.

A young, half-Sioux FBI agent (Val Kilmer) teams-up with a veteran agent (Sam Shepard) to investigate a murder on a Reservation in western South Dakota where the pro-government faction conflicts with ARM, the Aboriginal Rights Movement radicals. Graham Greene plays a tribal police officer.

"Thunderheart" (1992) is a Western that takes place in the modern day loosely based on events relating to the Wounded Knee incident in 1973. ARM from this movie is an expy of AIM, the American Indian Movement, which is a traditionalist organization that was radically active in those days and still exists. Some understandably consider AIM a terrorist organization back then in light of actions such as Leonard Peltier's murder of two FBI agents in 1975 at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which is referenced by Cooch in the movie (Shepard).

You don't have to be knowledgeable of any of this stuff or to take one side or the other to appreciate the movie. While it takes a side (which I'm not going to reveal), I'm in the middle and just here for the picture. I like the film, but it's slightly hindered by wannabe hip banter. Moreover, the almost god-like powers of certain AmerIndians are laid on too thick, but I appreciated some of the spiritual elements.

The film runs 1 hours, 59 minutes, and was shot in South Dakota at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee Cemetery and Badlands National Park, as well as Washington DC.

GRADE: B-

There's been a murder on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota and it's connected to reservation politics. Assistant FBI director Fred Dalton Thompson thinks it would be a good idea to specifically assign an agent with an Indian and specifically a Sioux heritage to investigate the homicide, figuring that the insular Sioux might better cooperate with him. Agent Val Kilmer fills the bill and he's assigned to one of the bureau's top operatives Sam Sheppard who reluctantly takes him along. Even Sheppard who's a loner sees that Kilmer just might be useful here.

To say that there is more on this reservation than meets the eye is putting it mildly. And Kilmer finds he has a destiny here and he does in fact solve the case with the help of reservation cop Graham Greene.

When referring to Indians in the USA their various tribes are called this or that nation. Calling them a nation as far as Thunderheart is concerned is correct in more ways than one. The reservations have their own autonomy in a lot of things, but they are also covered under the Constitution of these United States although you wouldn't think so the way tribal chief Fred Ward runs things. In fact the scenes of his reservation police disregarding basic fundamental rights could come out of some third world nation. That is the scariest part of Thunderheart and the part you will remember best.

There's not just murder here, there's corruption on a grand scale and that is the destiny that Val Kilmer has in this film, to root it out and expose it. Just what is going on and who is involved you have to watch Thunderheart for.

Although this is a part Lou Diamond Phillips should have played, Val Kilmer does fine in the lead. Another memorable role is that of Sheila Tousey, schoolteacher and Indian activist who has a good idea of what's going on and makes no bones to Kilmer about where his loyalties should lie.

Sam Sheppard's role as an FBI agent is one that never would have seen the light of day if J. Edgar Hoover was alive. You'll see what I mean when you watch Thunderheart.

Thunderheart is a fine drama, nicely photographed on location with fine performances uniformly from the cast. We can only hope that tribal leaders like Fred Ward are some kind of aberration among the American Indians.

I think Val Kilmer is a superb actor and Michael Apted has made some good films. Plus, Robert De Niro is credited as a producer here, which means he had at least some effect on its production. However, I've never really understood the appeal of "Thunderheart." I first saw it on television in the '90s and recall my opinion back then: I thought it was poorly made and silly.

My opinion hasn't changed much since the last time I saw it. Granted, Kilmer is a fine actor and does a good job here, but the movie itself just doesn't "click" together.

Apparently this is based on actual occurrences on Sioux reservations in the 1970s, but I'm guessing there were a lot of creative liberties drawn. Kilmer plays an FBI agent investigating a murder, but due to his Sioux heritage he finds himself drawn into his ethnic background and the locals begin trusting him.

I guess it works better for some people, but I just don't find this very appealing.

I would like to start out by saying that this is one of my favorite films. I thought Val Kilmer was amazing as Ray Lavoy. This movie is based on some real life events; however, not everything in this movie is a real life event, due to lawsuits. Graham Greene also had an outstanding role in this movie. I must say that this movie is a must see, also this movie shows you what things one should not take for granted. If you liked this movie, check out Skinwalkers.