Review of The Last of the Mohicans (1992) by Casey P — 30 Dec 2012

Written, produced and directed by Michael Mann, adapted from James Fenimore Cooper's 1826 book of the same name, (which had been adapted back in 1936), Mann was able to get this made from his success of producing Miami Vice.

However, it was a tough production, with crew members fired during and after filming, but out of it came a compelling and visually amazing drama, which holds the attention from start to finish. In 1757, when the British Empire still had control over the eastern United States, in the north, there was a war going on between the French and the local Indian tribes.

Three trappers, Mohican Indian Chingachgook (Russell Means) with his sons, Uncas (Eric Schweig) and adopted white Nathaniel Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) find themselves having to protect Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May), daughters of English Colonel Edmund Munro (Maurice Roëves), after the daughters' escort was ambushed.

Major Duncan Heyward (Steven Waddington) wants to marry Cora, but she's attracted now to Hawkeye. It's a beautifully made film, with some brilliant cinematography by Dante Spinotti. This is the film that Revolution (1985) should have been, Mann keeps the pace going smoothly without it going boring, and even Day-Lewis manages to make a good action hero.