Review of The Last of the Mohicans (1992) by Nathan C — 30 Aug 2012

Exciting, sweeping, and nothing short of spectacular, it's not only a great 90's action-adventure but also a well-done Colonial period romance.

Hawkeye, a European frontiersman adopted by a Mohican scout, and his men rally to help the British colonists after they are attacked by a Huron war party. While the British and French (who made an alliance with the Huron) fight their war, Hawkeye falls for a British girl and gets involved in the battles, most of them fronted by a Huron war chief.

Looking for a dazzling historical epic? Looking for a war film with gripping battles? Looking for an engaging love story? This movie fits the bill for all three, because it has a satisfying combination of history, adventure, and romance. The acting from the cast is stellar, with an inspired performance by Daniel Day-Lewis. It may be loosely adapted from the original story, but that's a good thing because the movie expands and improves upon it. It has a poetic feel, which strengthens the film emotionally. Beautiful cinematography, a lovely score, and a nice eye for detail are major assets, and they help make an already skillfully-directed film that much more effective.

However, there are a few shortcomings. Yes, the pacing is nice and tight, but during the slower moments is when the pacing seems off. The first portion of it was slow and a bit laborious, but, thankfully, the movie gets up to speed after the first half-hour. I was initally concerned that it'd provoke some racism towards/against Native Americans, but thankfully, this film looks beyond racial stereotypes and more towards the morality of the characters, as underdeveloped as they may be. It's more fantastical than historical, but that shouldn't matter as long as the movie is entertaining.

"The Last of the Mohicans" is a wonderful flick that works in all its ambitions and succeeds admirably as a romantic war drama.