Geronimo

Brig. Gen. George Crook (Gene Hackman) leads a war on the Chiricahua to bring them to their reservation. Geronimo (Wes Studi) agrees to go in peace. Lt. Britton Davis (Matt Damon) is new from Texas. He accompanies Lt. Charles Gatewood (Jason Patric) to go bring Geronimo in. Gatewood befriends Geronimo. Al Sieber (Robert Duvall) is a scout with a proper hatred and respect for the enemy Apache. The army tries to stop a medicine man dancing and a violent incident results. Geronimo escapes the reservation with a group of Apache. That's when the Geronimo Campaign begins.

It's a historical drama without the overdramatization that normally accompanies westerns. There are no easy villains in this. The circumstances keep conspiring to force the groups to clash. There are great actors in this. Most impressive is Wes Studi. His presence makes Geronimo come alive.

This film was part of the revival the western genre had in the beginning of the 90's in the wake of Dances With Wolves. Not all of the westerns from this period are worth seeing (Bad Girls is a good example of that) but there are gems among them. This film, Geronimo: An American Legend being one. It makes an intelligent comment regarding the frankly despicable treatment the Apaches, among other American Indian tribes, recieved at the hands of the American government. In this lies the films strength and the presentation of this theme is the focus of the film's plot. It plays like a historical thesis or argument. This being terrific for people who are looking to know exactly what happened to the Apaches.

However, people who search for great dramaturgical nerve in films should avoid this film. Because there is none. The plot faithfully depicts the historical progress of events and refuses to completely demonize the Whites (although they clearly are being portrayed as the expansionist aggressors)in order to build a protagonist-antagonist plot-structure. This makes the movie slow, and for non-buffs a tedious experience.

Finally, the film has a terrific soundtrack by Ry Cooder and a knock-out performance by Wes Studi as Geronimo!

This underrated Western (in Germany Hills picture disappears after one week from the cinema) convinces with an excellent script (I realize again, John Milius is much better in writing as directing), a stunning photography and outstanding performances of the lead characters. Studi is great, a wonderful study of pride and his understanding that he never can win his war against white men. Especially this poetic and realistic movie is by comparison with other Indian sagas not a fairy tale from far west. Hill tells the truth and so we see only desperate people and no heroes - on both sides. Great - a must see for fans. I give 8 out of 10 stars.

Geronimo: An American Legend is truly an underrated gem, an epic historical western directed by Walter Hill and written by John Milius. Great direction and a fairly good script, it does a great job at giving us a good narrative and the fictional liberties the creators took are there for dramatic use. But its representation of the Native Americans and the Apache is one thing they got right. It is a fictionalized account of the Apache Wars and how First Lieutenant Charles B. Gatewood convinced Apache leader Geronimo to surrender in 1886. It's a well told story that engages you and makes you want to learn more about the historical figures and events, I'm alright with it being a fictionalized account of what happened, it's a film after all and not a documentary.

The lead actors of the movie are Wes Studi, Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall and Matt Damon. That's just a few names, the roles that the actors I mentioned is historical figures and I'm certain that everything isn't historically accurate but I think they did a phenomenal job with their performances. Wes Studi, Jason Patric, Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall had the best performances, very memorable. They got the accents and mannerisms right for an authentic portrayal in that time period. Wes Studi who portrays the title character did a phenomenal job, probably one of the best performances of his career.

Walter Hill is a director that really knows how to make a film that's visually stunning, his contribution to the film is a huge point in why it's so good. He got a extremely talented cinematographer working beside him, and just wow, the movie looks amazing and also sounds amazing. Incredible musical score and sound design. The whole production is impressive and are filled with scenes full of detail, I'm glad they cared about the film and wanted so much authenticity as possible.

Geronimo: An American Legend is a memorable western film that I will re-watch in the future, it's a great film that has amazing acting and writing. The people who worked cared and that makes us care for the movie.

'Let's start with this: All written history is revisionist. The actual events are revisited and revised in the perspective of the "re-visitor." That said, this remarkably well written, well acted, and generally well executed movie is likely the best account of the "Geronimo Campaign" out there. Head and shoulders above much of the other junk out there about this important American figure. It is, to boot, beautifully filmed and deftly directed. And the narrative approach worked perfectly with this subject. Well worth a couple of viewing hours by anyone who sincerely wants to know what was up with all that.'