Review of Dances with Wolves (1990) by Wassim S — 19 Mar 2011

Dances With Wolves is the first Western I had ever seen. I chose to watch this movie based on its reception at the Academy Awards in 1991. I am trying to begin watching more Westerns, and for this being my first Western, I am willing to say that it is much better than I thought it was going to be.

The film is well acted, and the design of the sets were very convincing. It really did look as if it were filmed in that time (not in the sense of the format of the camera used to film it). The film looks quite expensive, and I looked at the budget on it; it only cost $22 million.

It looks like it cost $60 million to me. Despite my praise of this film, I must say that it did not strike me with originality. It is the same story (even though this came up with it first) of a guy who is sent to mingle with an indiginous tribe, but he becomes part of their culture, so he must choose between his new tribe or his original tribe.

I very much able to map it out just by reading the synopsis. I do not think that this should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture. However, that is not saying that this is a bad film.