Review of The Last of the Mohicans (1992) by Johannes R — 20 Jun 2011

22.5.2011.

Michael Mann's greatest achievement - surprisingly not a modern-day crime flick, but a romantic adventure from the days of settlement. Still, it connects to Mann's thematics and to his other characters: again, we have the system vs. outsider conflict and in this setting the nature of his protagonist comes to life in a natural way. And nature plays a big part here: it is as much a film about North America as it is about its protagonists - and they come together: a man is his environment. They are captured by Dante Spinotti's breath-taking cinematography: the landscapes, the faces, the war. The battle scenes are both gorgeous and cruel - and emotionally intense: the showdown at the promontory is a classic. The music is wonderful: reaching the essence of a romantic adventure, and it becomes a significant factor in the atmosphere, a vital part of the film's life. Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe have great chemistry as the heroic couple, and Jodhi May's performance is haunting.