Great sequence no doubt but it's hard to say the best ever.
SOmeone else said that the rest of the film was average. Now that i disagree with. It is not a perfect film, I gave it a 9, although I wish I could give it a 9.5. Just can't give it a 10 - while I tend to be generous with liberties taken by works of historical fiction, this film pushes that generosity too far. For example the massacre following the fall of Fort William Henry is implied to have followed a green light's having been given by Montcalm. Most historical readings suggest it was done by the Huron and their allies out of frustration at the French not letting them gain spoils during an earlier victory. Perhaps the filmmakers felt a need to say the French were just as bad as the English in terms of the morality of warfare displayed. And even if you tend to be more skeptical of the French, there were other inaccuracies. For example Monro's already surrendered force had been attacked even before the march away began. In short it was no surprise as indicated by the film when they were attacked again, after the march had commenced. As if that is not enough, Monro was not killed during the march.
On the other hand it was arguably not the filmmakers who made these errors, and they after all can more or less be found in Cooper's novel. If the film is really an adaptation of the book, and not an attempt at historical accuracy, why blame the filmmakers for them? Well, I do think none of this is cleared up by the film, so I do think it detracts.
But that is a relatively small consideration. I thought the chemistry between DDL and Madeleine Stowe was excellent, and both did great jobs in their roles. The supporting cast was also excellent for the most part, especially Wes Studi as Magua, but imo Roeves's performance as Monro was overdone.
But the film's power was not limited to the 10 minutes in question here, as great as that sequence is. I thought it maintained momentum and interest throughout, and despite the historical issues WAS effective in explaining how the American colonists had reason to see in the War's management that there were issues with the English, that grew into the patriotism that fed the American Revolution.
Great film.
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ronfirv
10 years ago
I agree, also marked this film a clear 9.
A wee point, we were the British, not solely English!
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