Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) User Reviews

intelligence at drama's expense

[PennyLANE77 · 8/10 · 4 August 2003]

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!

A worthile and incisive film on this subject.

[nnkk79a · 8/10 · 29 January 2001]

'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.'

No heroes on both sides

[mime.de · 8/10 · 23 August 2002]

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.

Jason Patric is Magnificent in this Great Epic

[Persia 27 · 4 June 2001]

With its superb acting, writing and directing, this masterpiece by Walter Hill is unique, not only in the way it maintains its epic quality in the span of two hours, but in the strong chemistry between the two main characters. The majestic music and scenic photography combine perfectly to compliment the stunning performances of Wes Studi as Geronimo and the breath-taking Jason Patric as Lt. Charles Gatewood. The special friendship shared between the two grand, thoughtful men is the main interest that holds this film together, with Patric's performance being the most exceptional, amid a talented supporting cast of big names.

As a righteous officer and gentleman who remains loyal but unpoisoned by excessive patriotism, Gatewood is a tough but calming influence in the face of great danger, while displaying a maturity that bewilders his more primitive companion Al Sieber (Robert Duvall) who exclaims, "You don't love who you're fighting for and you don't hate who you're fighting against!" In this way, Gatewood is just as complex as he is likable, immediately gaining the trust and admiration of both his friends and enemies.

Whether he assumes the role of an ambassador with his deep eyes and charismatic presence or that of a soldier with his masterful horsemanship (performed by the actor himself), Jason Patric brings a special depth and beauty to Gatewood, making him one of the most impressive and under rated heroes ever captured on film. His presence alone makes this film a great classic, as well as a thought provoking treasure!

Geronimo's battle

[mlswaters · 7/10 · 9 January 2022]

Wow, where to start, I loved this movie, it's portrayal of Geronimo is complex and gives the viewer a different portrait than most westerns do. It's showing at the box office is regrettable, because it is probably one of the most honest portrayals of the travesty that was the Indian wars. This film showed how men of conscious we're asked to round up a tribe of people's who only wanted to remain free on lands they had held for over a thousand years, soldiers had to follow orders but for many the cost must have been terrible, especially when their words we're repeatedly broken by others under whom they served. But it was a different time and place with politics that few today would embrace. So much tragedy but at least this movie showed the military genius of Geronimo and allowed his name to shine for the future generations to see.

Compelling history

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 21 June 2014]

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.

Watch first, read comments next is a good policy.

[snorfle-1 · 7/10 · 4 February 2005]

"An unfortunate lousy attempt at portraying Geronimo" was the featured review. YET, the reviewer, admittedly was NOT Apache, NOT Cheracowa, NOT even an American and obviously was NOT there in person and has NO MORE STANDING to make this sort of comment AND be believed than, say, a Sudanese dentist in Des Moines would, per se.

Folks, history is tricky. We weren't there. We CAN study REAL accounts, judge etc. BUT simply stating a movie is an unfortunate lousy attempt, etc. seems silly to me.

Yes, the subject matter still hurts many Americans. Yes, some American indigenous OF the the Cheracowa group, should any direct descendants be alive, might know things no one else KNOWS, but who else actually does? Entertainment's first duty IS to entertain. IF this can be done accurately, do any of you think the studios don't have the resources to do a LOT more research than most of us? Even the actors often do their homework.

Anyway, I liked the film, photography, star's, viewpoints etc. I never comment on spoilers or even the point of a film since this itself is pointless and potentially spoiling. IT was a grand scale Western, updated, likely researched well and well worth watching.

My personal preference IN watching a film is to follow actors. My joy in watching them is finding new actors OR new depths in one's I have seen before. Wes Studi, Geronimo, was one of the latter.

Robin,

Agreeable movie about the famous Indian leader and set on spectacular landscapes

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 7 January 2005]

"Geronimo: An American Legend" talks upon Geronimo (Wes Studi), chief of Apaches Chiricaguas . The continuous humiliation in reservoir of San Carlos caused the bursting of riots , while reclaiming what is rightfully theirs , being commanded by Geronimo and his group of Indians , then by the government carries out necessary actions against them . As Geronimo and thirty or so other warriors form an attack bunch which humiliates the government by evading capture . They will confront American cavalry in charge of General Crook (Gene Hackman) , but later he'll be replaced by another hardest commander . Two officers (Jason Patrick and Matt Damon) will go out looking for Geronimo to make a peace treatise . A Warrior. A Leader. A Legend. His name would never be forgotten.

This is a "damn good" rendition about Geronimo who is pushed over the edge by broken promises , here there are wonderful outdoors shot on location in Utah territory , and it displays action , shootouts , violence and though is slow-moving , isn't tiring , neither dreary , but entertaining . The picture is based on historical characters : Geronimo , Cohise and general Crook ; though it deals with the men who had caught Geronimo more than Geronimo himself . At the main and supporting cast are the actors who usually play Indian roles : Wes Studi , Rodney A. Gant , Steve Reeves because being native origin .

The motion picture was well and professionally directed by Walter Hill , in his own words he stated there is a longer version to the movie, he was forced to cut it down around 11 minutes . Walter Hill gets too much experience on western genre ,thus : ¨The long riders¨ , ¨Will Bill¨. Besides , he has modern westerns : ¨Streets of fire¨ and ¨Extreme prejudice¨. ¨The Long Riders¨ is deemed to be an excellent movie but ¨Will Bill¨ is considered boring and overlong . ¨Geronimo¨ is similar height to ¨Long Riders¨ . The motion picture didn't obtain success and was a real flop in box office , in spite of the extraordinary sets , glimmer cinematography and atmospheric as well as evocative Ry Cooder's musical score . The movie will appeal to Indian western fans. Rating: good . Well catching. Essential and fundamental watching for Western lovers .

One Who Was Actually There

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 14 September 2008]

Geronimo: An American Legend was the last of the fearsome Indians whose very name spread terror to the white settlers of the American West. The film is based on the actual memoirs of the real life character Matt Damon plays. Damon's character Brittain Davis wrote the book in 1929, in the film Damon is a young shave-tail lieutenant newly minted from West Point and assigned to the 6th Cavalry in the Arizona territory. Damon narrates the film and it's through his eyes that we see the action unfold.

Army politics factors big in the hunt for Geronimo, General George Crook who was the Army general best known for subduing the Indians had his policy questioned by the officials in Washington and after he captures Geronimo once and then through some gross stupidity an incident happens on the reservation that sets Geronimo on the warpath again, Crook played by Gene Hackman is replaced by General Nelson Miles who is portrayed by Kevin Tighe.

That's above the heads of army lieutenant Charles Gatewood who actually does the negotiations to bring Geronimo in and is played by Jason Patric. It's also so much nonsense to army chief of scouts Al Sieber who Robert Duvall plays. They're the ones along with Damon who are actually in the trenches so to speak.

The Indian wars of the Arizona Territory are played even handedly in this film showing the courage and brutality on both sides. Geronimo: An American Legend is a fact based tale told from the perspective of one who was actually there. It's a most worthwhile film.

Great Movie, but don't Forget REAL HISTORY!

[mmcchesney · 7/10 · 4 May 2006]

This was a great movie. One of the few I could watch more than once. It inspires great emotion and sympathy for the American Indian. As has been stated before, THIS IS A REVISIONIST MOVIE! The old movies where the Indian was the bad guy were just as bereft of fact as the current slate of movies where the Indian is the all-good "Mother Earth Child." Every country in the world owns it's established borders by use of force! At one point in time or another, one tribe, one race, one banded group of people, defeated another banded group of people and took over their land for whatever reason (good, bad, real, imagined, or made up). The Apache are no different! They took their land by killing and enslaving other more peaceful native tribes. From excavations of native living areas, a few of these "Mother Earth Child Tribes" have even been proved to be cannibals (not Apache)! This knowledge is gleaned from knife cut and scrape marks on piles of discarded bones.

While it is true that the way the American Indian was treated was absolutely SHAMEFUL! Not just the Apache, but every tribe. We made treaties with them, but as soon as gold, silver, oil, or whatever was valuable was found on their reservations, were they bought out? NOPE! They were kicked off of their reservations to even more remote and desolate places. This happened over and over again. The reason many Indians rebelled was because they were tired of being relocated, and felt that they were being pushed into oblivion. It was either die a quiet and cowardly death or die like a warrior. Many chose the latter. If you are going to die anyway, die bravely.

If you want to learn Geronimo, don't watch this movie.

[a_mellerud · 3/10 · 7 January 2006]

I don't like this movie at all. I adore and admire the apaches as a people, and for fighting both Mexican and American soldiers for centuries. I am a great fan of Geronimo (indian name Goklayeh), and have read all books written about him (most recommended Forrest Carter's Watch for Me on the Mountain). This film does not show a veracious proclamation of Geronimo and contains many false facts. For example there's one scene where Geronimo killed some new settlers without any reason, something he never did. He was not a barbarian, and had a reason behind every action.

You can't see the genius and the mastermind Geronimo in this movie, neither can you see the greatest guerrilla warrior ever lived. Geronimo is a lost man in the film, fighting in vain. As a matter of fact he never surrendered without a reason, there were always a plan behind every action. He was clever, smart, astute and sluly. If Geronimo not surrendered as a volunteer, the army would never manage to capture him. In the film you see him hide with some warriors on a mountain cliff, before he is forced to surrender for the last time. That was not what happened. He surrendered for the last time in 1886, with the only purpose to make sure the tribe would live. The glorification is to much focused on General Crook, yes indeed he was a good man, but he does not deserve to be remembered as the hero in a movie about Geronimo.

Well written, brilliantly acted and beautifully shot, Geronimo: An American Legend is a memorable western

[Holt344 · 9/10 · 6 March 2021]

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.

"No guns, no bullets could ever kill me. That was my power... Now my time is over."

[lost-in-limbo · 7/10 · 2 January 2010]

Walter Hill is a true, seasoned action deliverer. Just look at his stellar films and this is why his one of my favourite directors. Still need to see his highly regarded western "The Long Riders" though. Nevertheless his take on the American legend "Geronimo" was not what I was expecting. It's quite a tone down piece (but not on the drama front), still his professional handling of the bravado action contains that walloping punch we have come to expect (like the sequence in a Mexican bar), but the thoughtfully mediative (if a tad stuffy and not entirely correct) material (by John Milius) and productively detailed characters are what takes centre stage. The outstanding performances led by a cast of Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Jason Patric, Wes Studi, Matt Damon, Rodney A. Grant and Kevin Tighe really do cement the humane edge of brave men with moralistic stances. Patric is a revelation in his role, bringing the right idealistic balance and so is a pre-stardom Damon. Duvall brings a solidly noble complexity and Hackman aims up with one of his respectably collected turns. Studi is picture-perfect as Geronimo, who embraces the legend and crafts out a mythical mark. Hill mechanically stages it with a certain ruggedness that's never lost amongst its fetching tailoring, as he does a presentable job covering the sprawling Arizona and Utah foregrounds in getting every little detail of the terrain into the shot. While not flashy, the imagery does linger (as well as some explosive and bloody confrontations) and the scenic cinematography is earthly projected for a genuine look and feel. Ry Cooder (a prolific contributor for Hill) orchestrates a poignantly majestic and spiritually mannered score that enhances its epic framework. A favourably gripping western.

Worthy biopic of a proud hero

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 21 February 2011]

Walter Hill's biopic of the Apache hero brings to life the political struggle between Native Americans and the US army in the 19th century. It's a fast paced, well made movie that's more educational than everything else; as a viewer to whom the story was completely new, I enjoyed learning about the tensions and situations along with the historical backdrop.

However, I can't help but feel the film is lacking something: it has a made for TV feel and never has the 'bite' or heart that make other biopics so affecting. This one goes through the motions and utilises a powerful cast to bring the characters to life, but you watch it in the same way you watch a history documentary: to learn rather than feel. The blame has to go to John Milius's script, I think.

Still, both Hackman and Duvall contribute seasoned turns as grizzled old war veterans, and it's great to see a fresh-faced Matt Damon taking on a leading role and handling it comfortably so early on in his career. What a surprise, too, to discover that Jason Patric (THE LOST BOYS) could actually act back in the day. The best cast member is Wes Studi as Geronimo himself: playing his character stony-faced most of the time, he gets the man's humility, strength and sense of quiet honour just right.

my personal feelings

[AGBrid · 14 August 2004]

IN I993 I had my first viewing of this great film. I was proud to see how the story of the apache was displayed and the harsh treatment they suffered and all they lost.I feel the truth was shown in this film.I am part native American myself.I was especially interested.My friends and I saw the film together and I must say at the end when they are on the train to Florida after Geronimo's final surrender all of us were stunned.It was one of the most powerfully emotional scenes I have ever viewed.some people cried,and the emotions in the theatre were so sad.Geronimo's final words moved me and I remember "No one knows why the One God let the white eye take our land."this is to never be answered and gone forever.I was haunted for years after this film.

Wrong Approach to the Subject Matter

[gbheron · 6/10 · 23 May 1999]

Geronimo: An American Legend, takes a leisurely, almost plodding approach to the Geronimo Wars in which the US Cavalry subjugated the Chiricahua Apache. Told in the voice of a young Army lieutenant (Matt Damon), the viewers saddle up and ride along with the cavalry as they slowly wear down Geronimo and his small warrior band.

It's slow, dusty, and boring work. This feeling is helped by a script that's shallow and superficial possessing no drama at all. This is a shame given the acting and directing talent assembled for the movie, not to mention the subject matter. The gorgeous desert landscapes help, but the talented Ry Cooder fails to bring home the musical underpinnings.

It's still an ok movie, at least Walter Hill brought in it under 2 hours. But for the same subject matter it can't compare with Dances With Wolves, or The Last of the Mohicans. I give it the entertainment grade of B-, but mostly for the scenery, and deference to Hackman and Duvall who are very good in their supporting roles.

The Geronimo Solemnity

[hitchcockthelegend · 6/10 · 31 July 2011]

Geronimo: An American Legend is directed by Walter Hill and written by John Milius. It stars Wes Studi, Jason Patric, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Matt Damon and Pato Hoffman. Music is by Ry Cooder and cinematography by Lloyd Ahern. Story tells of what led Geronimo to being the most wanted Apache warrior on the American Government list, and his subsequent capture/surrender in 1886.

Walter Hill takes his Westerns seriously, striving for authenticity in look, feel and narrative. He achieves all of these in Geronimo, only that this is hardly a biography of Geronimo the man. Film chronicles the great Apache leader courtesy of the memoirs of one of the cavalrymen who hunted him down, this thread is surrounded by historical points of worth such as land rights, the changing of the West, cultural clashes, racism and etc. Add in some lush Utah photography, traditional Western staples such as horseback chases, fights and shootouts, and it's just under two hours of good Western movie entertainment. But the screenplay doesn't open up Geronimo the man, in fact not really affording the excellent Studi (Geronimo) all that much screen time in the process. Film would have been better titled as Geronimo, Charles B. Gatewood (Patric) and Britton Davis (Damon), since the latter two are dealt with as much as the Apache warrior is.

It's a good film that only deals in under two years of the Geronimo Campaign. Yes it redresses the balance by attempting to show both sides of the coin, and for sure it isn't found wanting for accuracy. But under developing the title character is a major problem. This should have been much much better and leaves us still waiting for a definitive Geronimo story. 6/10

Geronimo Reluctant to Retire To Florida.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 15 September 2015]

I found this historical flick about the relationship between the Apache chief Geronimo (1829 - 1907) pretty interesting. I was mainly impressed by two things: the picturesque landscape that falls just short of "epic", and what I took to be reasonable or at least a convincing facsimile of historical accuracy.

It isn't really a traditional Western in the sense of good guys and bad guys. Nor is it patronizing towards the Indians, as "Fort Apache" was. Like life, the universe is more complex than that, and more confusing. For the most part, General Crook (Gene Hackman) tries to compromise. His successor,General Miles (Kevin Tighe, good actor, perennial bad man), is a lying bastard.

It's no wonder Geronimo (Wes Studi) is torn between trying to raise corn within the strictures of reservation life and taking off for the hills with a band of resentful warriors and their families. The Apache were pretty rough on captives too. They were artists of torture and the film doesn't shy away from it, although it doesn't get into the arrangements in any detail.

Geronimo and his group wind up as prisoners of war in various place, beginning in Florida and ending at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He was a POW for the rest of his life, but also a celebrity. He appeared at fairs, rode in Teddy Roosevelt's inaugural parade and so forth. The movie gives the impression that he spent the rest of his life behind bars.

That's misleading but not entirely false. Other incidents, I would guess, are fabricated -- an encounter between a few soldiers and some bounty hunters in which the famous scout Al Sieber (Robert Duvall) is killed. He actually died when a boulder fell on him at a construction site. The honorable Lieutenant Gatewood (Jason Patric) was a real figure who admired the Apache and spoke their language but was betrayed by the Army.

For what it's worth, if the US Army treated the Apache poorly, the Mexican Army did even worse.

Ghost Dance

[valis1949 · 7/10 · 21 July 2009]

Regardless of the absolute historical veracity of the film, GERONIMO:AN American LEGEND is, first and foremost, an engaging piece of motion picture entertainment. Written by John Milius, and directed by Walter Hill (with a dynamite soundtrack by Ry Cooder), the film attempts an evenhanded examination of the final chapters in America's war-torn and bloody relationship with The Apache Nation. Most historians would agree that the government of the United States enacted legislative policies concerning the Apache which were less than honest, and led to senseless acts of mayhem and violence. America's inept handling of these Native Americans attests to the sad fact that spurious 'short-term fixes' very often can lead to onerous and unintended diplomatic protocol. Neither the US or the Indians could claim the moral or ethical high ground, because such a position did not exist. Both sides were guilty of genocidal madness. At least this film attempts to present the issues and shed some light on the reasons that led to this decades long, violent and ill fated conflict. Jason Patric, as 1st Lt. Charles B. Gatewood, and Wes Studi, as Geronimo, convincingly embody the conflicting aims and strategies of the United States Government and the Apache Nation. Each man is portrayed as an honorable individual who tries to find common ground in an impossible situation where neither man has complete control. The film is a deft balancing act between an action adventure motion picture, and a thoughtful meditation on an almost insoluble clash between two cultures. THREE AND A HALF STARS.

More history than drama, but still revisionist

[BubbasMom · 8/10 · 8 September 2005]

The valiant, if doomed, Chiricahua Apache tried (as did so many other tribes) to be accommodating after being hounded to the breaking point. Their famous chief, Geronimo, gave himself up voluntarily and tried to lead his people onto the reservation. But, as happened so many times, even after capitulation they were attacked in unwarranted fashion and reacted by leaving the reservation whereupon they were hunted, and hunted, and harried. Some people don't like this film because it tells history more like it was than most movies do about the "conquering" of the American west ... it shows both sides of the story, not just one. With this movie, you can't identify with the hero on one side and the villain or the other. Both are sympathetic, both are reprehensible (isn't that the way a historical drama really ought to be played? In my book, this is a plus). As a native of Arizona, where much of the historical action took place, I find it disturbing that the countryside in which the movie was made is either in some other state or in the wrong part of Arizona, that characters seem to be able to get from Tombstone to San Carlos in one day on horseback (either they had multiple horses, or one dead one), and that there is a bit of overstatement about the honor among the various Apache bands (with reference to the reason that members of some Apache groups served as scouts against other groups). All in all, though, I vote for this one over all the other "Geronimo" movies that have been made.

An unfortunate lousy attempt at portraying Geronimo

[LaxFan94 · 6/10 · 20 January 2004]

I believed this film to be one of the many typical negative stereotypical film about Natives that was more than likely made in Hollywood without any kind of true, accurate content in it. I suppose the only thing that was probably correct was Wes Studi's facial features. Mr Studi's face does resemble Geronimo's looks when he was alive. For example, Studi's little beady eyes look a lot like the way Geronimo's would have looked like. His high cheekbones are similar to those of Geronimo's along with the actual shoulder hair length that he also had.

But............ anyways............ that's my scoop on why I gave this film the kind of review that I think it deserves. Thanks a lot for allowing me once again to review a film on this terrific site.

Revisionist History Provides Some Insight to Geronimo

[jimmylee-1 · 5/10 · 29 July 2006]

From the 80's onwards, movies and television stories have introduced us to many heroic individuals living during the late 1800s with amazingly modern attitudes towards Native Americans. I'm starting to wonder how the hostiles were designated "hostile" when there were so many of these stand-up-and-be-heard PC types running around. (In the army, no less, which is just the place *I* would go if I wanted to find to a peaceful solution with the native American people.) I do wish that the movies would just show what happened without the characters of Basil Exposition and The Preacher, so we can form our own conclusions.

This movie is no exception, focusing on the Apache War, with Jason Patric playing Lt. Gatewood - speaking the very language of the Apache - pointing out to his commanding officer the errors of Indian policy. Matt Daman trots along in his wake and explains other concerns helpfully. Both look sincere and concerned, with Jason showing religious fervor and Matt looking terribly naive. Robert Duvall is excellent (as always); Wes Studi is solid as Geronimo.

The scenery (if you neglect to note the transportation implications as they race from one lovely monument several hours by car to another while raiding in the space of minutes) is lovely, and the soldiers look suitably tired and scruffy. I did find it dreadfully distracting (sorry to be so obsessive) that each actor had a mouthful of beautiful white teeth in the 1800s when dental care was a mere rumour.

And the facts. Well, so, as one reviewer pointed out, we weren't there, but we do know some details because the people that were there kept diaries and wrote letters, and we can compare what people wrote, and they all agreed on certain things. Unfortunately, Hollywood used what was handy and ignored a few important details.

So now some viewers will probably think they know something about Geronimo's life that isn't true, especially the poor junior high school kid cheating on some report by watching the movie. It's just irresponsible for movie makers to distort basic and important facts for the sake of the story.

This movie was beautifully photographed, well acted, and brings visibility in an highly poignant fashion to the suffering of the Native American to those who may have missed all the other movies. If they'd ridden their horses just a little closer to the facts, they would have had a much tighter story on Geronimo.

Accurate? Who Cares? Just Enjoy It.

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 8 October 2005]

How much of this is true, I cannot say. Perhaps I should do some research on it knowing how "accurate" most Hollywood historical films tend to be. For years, the white man was always the good guy; the Indian, the bad guy. Then came, the present day "political correctness" era where the Indian is the good guy and the white man is the bad guy. Frankly, I don't care in this case because this movie is simply a very entertaining film that is enjoyable to watch....and that's what movies are supposed to be: entertaining.

What makes it so entertaining?

1) a very interesting saga of the famous Apache Geronimo, fighting for his people and also living a life dedicated to revenge; 2) A great portrayal of him by actor Wes Studi, who has the perfect face and voice for the role; 3) a very solid all-male cast, with memorable leads played by Jason Patric, Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman and Matt Damon; 4) wonderful golden-hued cinematography, filmed in the mountainous area of Moab, Utah; 5) Not excessive violence nor a lot of profanity, rare for a Walter Hill directed movie. This is one of the stylish Hill's classier efforts. 6) Good sound if you have the DVD and a surround sound system.

Yes, this leans in the PC class with big-time leanings toward the Indian cause, but the Apache people apparently had a good case for their cause, at least with Geronimo's convincing question near the end of the movie: "There is plenty of land. Why do you want it all?"

Pretty Good

[Easygoer10 · 7/10 · 23 August 2019]

This is a perfect example of having an excellent cast & crew, but ending up with the final product lacking. It comes off like a "made for TV" film. You have a film & screenplay written by the excellent rogue writer/director John Milius, cpupled with outstanding director in Walter Hill. Wes Studi (who can play anyone or anything) is cast as Geronimo, along with Rodney Grant, who was also cast (along with Studi) in Kevin Costner's epic "Dances With Wolves" (1990). In that film, the lightly experienced Grant played "Wind In His Hair"; a superb & memorable role. However, this film is missing something absolutely necessary: authenticity.

Rewriting of history depicts Manson of the West as noble

[drystyx · 1/10 · 2 August 2008]

History books which depict the truth are gradually being destroyed, burned, and censored. This movie is an example of what happens when society does that.

The film tries to be fair to the cavalry. However, Geronimo was never an American legend. He was hated and despised even by the Apache. His following was exactly like that of Charles Manson. His deeds and actions were exactly that, too. In fact, he was the Charles Manson of the West. He would butcher people for no reason-women, children, Native Americans, Mexicans, anyone. He was just a monster. His followers were many, but so were Manson's. They, too, were wackos.

This movie depicts Geronimo as an honorable chief. All chiefs of the old West were more than willing to work with John Clum to send the Apache police to arrest him.

There is a problem with rewriting History. Movies that paint Billy the Kid and Jesse James as heroes are the same, but minor since they were just outlaws who killed. Geronimo was just a mass murderer for sport and fun. Those are the facts.

This is identical to a movie being made in the future in which Charles Manson will be depicted as an honorable American governor who suffers wrongs and indignation, and is in the right in his noble actions. That is the trouble with America's love of rewriting History.