Amazon.com Essentials:
Kevin Costner's 1990 epic won a bundle of Oscars for a moving,
engrossing story of a white soldier (Costner) who singlehandedly mans
a post in the 1870 Dakotas, and becomes a part of the Lakota Sioux
community who live nearby. The film may not be a masterpiece, but it
is far more than the sum of good intentions. The characters are
strong, the development of relationships is both ambitious and
careful, the love story between Costner and Mary McDonnell's character
is captivating. Only the third-act portrait of white intruders as
morons feels overbearing, but even that leads to a terribly moving
conclusion. Costner's direction is assured, the balance of action and
intimacy is perfect--what more could anyone want outside of an
unqualified masterpiece? --Tom
Keogh
