the audience applauded

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Sam a Cherokee Indian has the world by the balls, he has everything all figured out. He's got his own Detective Agency, which is about to be bought up by Pinkerton Security agency and they're about to make him an agent. With his fancy clothes and motorbike he's spinning his wheels tracking down squaws that escape from the assimilation schools. He tells this to Charlie after he captures him. calling him a red-n-word, and how proud he is that he shrugged off his Native American trappings. Charlie tells them about another run-away Indian who's wanted for double murder. Now SAM isn't new to racism and seems to deal with the anti-Indian sentiment around town, in fact he profits off of it. On their tale is another bounty hunter McCOY the local Sheriff who isn't shown that much respect either. McCOY is world renown Indian killer and heroine addict. He reveals Sam's past telling him "Half the Indians I get credit for, were killed by you". Sam who is running from his passed is forced to face it.

I live in Lawrence Kansas where one of the earliest "normalizing" schools was set up for Indian children. Parents, after having their children confiscated, traveled and set up tents around Haskell School where their mournful cries were heard every night. This film is the FIRST in cinema history (that I am aware of anyway) that attempts to refer to this era of American history from this point of view. The storyline and script are dramatically engaging. The movie showcases a clash of cultures but rather than generalizing, the film reveals the individuality of both white and native individuals and showcases just how war and strife can create opportunistic "survivors" from any ethnic group.I believe this movie adds a new chapter to the Western genre because the Native point of view is well represented in a realistic and powerful manner and because the protagonists, an Indian boy and man, are put into a fully developed role!

James Boyd is certainly right in many of the things he says about this movie but this is definitely a movie to watch and not avoid.We all know about cowboys and Indians from westerns. This is a western with a difference, the story obviously focuses on the young Indian boy and the bounty hunter character called Sam Franklin who also happens to be a native Indian himself.The film does well to analyse the rights and wrongs of our actions in defending something which is clearly fundamentally wrong but the law permits it. As has been said, the early 1900s depicts a sign of the changing times, just as similarly depicted in 'Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee', another native Indian theme movie which I particularly liked.Okay its not a great movie and it wont win any major awards but it tells the story it intends to tell and it brings to our attention a number of issues at political area about the treatment of native Indians which it seems the American government has not (and perhaps will never) addressed.I liked the movie, the acting is acceptable to the quality of the script. Just enjoy the movie!

I read James Boyd's review and almost didn't watch this movie. I am glad I decided to watch the movie. James missed a lot of the major points in this movie, betrayal, love, hate, greed, deception. All these things are what make a good Drama. I understand that most people now days don't want to hear about the way the American Indians faced genocide, humiliation and reprogramming. It is a part of the history of this nation, and movies like this, addressing the past aren't just about revenge. People can be greedy and cruel, but it takes a real man to own up to his past and do what is right. I believe this movie shows that courage and honor.