Customer Reviews

Geronimo: An American Legend

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I share the opinion of several other reviewers that "Geronimo" is an outstanding -- but undervalued -- Western. Let me tick off some of the reasons why this is such a good movie.

First, the scenery and the cinematography are fabulous. Some of the photography deliberately imitates great scenes from other Westerns in the past. I was overcome with deja vu at the scene in which a file of mounted Apaches is silhouetted on the skyline. This is right out of John Ford's "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" if memory serves me right.

Secondly, the performances of Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, and Wes Studi, as Geronimo, were outstanding. Matt Damon and Jason Patric were fine as young cavalry officers, and I liked the performance of Steve Reevis as Chato, a friendly, trusting -- and ultimately disillusioned -- Apache scout. Third, the movie was reasonably true to fact and avoided the "noble savage" philosophy that made movies such as "Dances with Wolves" tiresome. Nor did the movie gloss over the perfidy of U.S. policy toward the Apaches.

The story of the long pursuit of Geronimo and his tiny band of Apaches by thousands of soldiers and Apache scouts is an American epic. Perhaps what "Geronimo" the movie doesn't have, and thus didn't capture the attention of the critics and the public, is a blockbuster scene that raises you out of your seat. But I thought "Geronimo" was an honest, informative, well-made film that should be rated among the top twenty Westerns of all time.

Sometimes, stunning camera work adds significant value to a film's overall merit. Case in point is 2001: A SPACE ODDYSSEY, in which the visuals (and musical score) contributed to make it one of the great films of all time. (I saw it 8 times when originally on the big screen.) Yet the acting and storyline were so nondescript that who can remember who the actors or their characters were beyond Hal? Although certainly not carrying the same weight as 2001 in the evolution of movie making, the 1993 release GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND is elevated for the same reason, and the acting is much better besides.

Matt Damon plays 2nd Lt. Britton Davis, newly commissioned out of West Point, who arrives in Arizona in the mid-1880's just in time to accompany the savvy 1st Lt. Charles Gatewood, played by Jason Patric, on a mission to accept the surrender of Geronimo, and bring the Apache leader to the reservation. Eventually, Geronimo abandons the reservation to again take up arms against the white man, ultimately fleeing into Mexico. The local Army cavalry command led by Gen. George Crook, played by Gene Hackman, and which includes Davis and Gatewood, must then go retrieve the war chief and his followers. Robert Duvall has the role of Al Sieber, the army unit's Chief Scout.

As I've indicated, the cinematography in GERONIMO is absolutely gorgeous, the film being shot in the scenic expanses of southeastern Utah. Moreover, the acting doesn't deserve the reproach it's received. The Crook character, criticized as too bland, is played just right. By that time in his long military career, Gen. Crook had seen it all when it came to battling the Indians, and his unflappability, evenhandedness, and strength of character were fully established. There is no need for flamboyant theatrics on his part. The moody reserve of the Gatewood character is perfectly understandable. He came from a patrician Virginia family and, had it been 30 years previous, would have fought for the Confederacy. Fighting for the victorious Federals against another oppressed people (as the Southerners saw themselves) was certain to cause much self-examination. As Sieber put it to Gatewood, "You don't love who you're fighting for, and you don't hate who you're fighting against." Duvall, as Sieber, plays a role somewhat reminiscent of his Gus McCrae in LONESOME DOVE, but without the easygoing humor. In any case, his on-screen time is way too short. Wes Studi as Geronimo is more than adequate. I can't think of another Native American actor - and how many of those are there? - who could have done better. Matt Damon, as the likable Britton, serves as the film's narrator for the viewers' perspective. True, the plot incorporates no dramatic, climactic battles. That's because there weren't any in the real-life Geronimo saga, and Hollywood mercifully refrained, for once, from the unashamed embellishment of history. Rather, the story is portrayed for what it was - the inexorable, relatively low-key subjugation of one people by another - with all its attendant moral and ethical issues. The ending is particularly poignant.

Maybe I just like westerns, but I think this a wonderful, haunting film. It's definitely worth seeing, especially if you have one of those home entertainment centers that aspires to be a big screen theater.

Walter Hill's film is full of action and drama concerning the Apache Chief Geronimo. Wes Studi should have got an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of the Apache Chief. Also outstanding performances by Robert Duvall as Al Siebur the Indian Scout, Jason Patric as Lt. Charles Gatewood, Gene Hackman as Gen. Crook, and Steve Reevis as Apache Scout Chato. Jason Patric's horsemanship is showcased in a scene where an Apache warrior is charging at him on horseback, firing a pistol. A standout scene. A must see for Western Fans. This is an eye opening look at how the Apache were treated by the U.S. government. A truly sad part of American history.

This is the second Walter Hill movie I've seen recently, and I believe I'm getting the hang of it. At least as far as his westerns go. Hill takes as his subject matter a larger-than-life character, in this case the Apache warrior Geronimo, and embellishes the facts to fit a larger truth. I say that without sarcasm or disapproval. Hill turns a bandit queen into a prostitute, kills off one of his characters in the wrong place at the wrong time (to give a big star a death scene,) invents a fight between two men who probably never met, much less knew of each other. There's a good reason this one is subtitled "An American Legend." It's a fair approach for a filmmaker to take, but the raw material of his films have been so finely sifted by so many passionate students for so long they're almost magnets for those prone to nit-pick the tiniest historical accuracy.
When I set aside my concerns for historical accuracy I discovered I enjoyed the heck out of this movie. It looks beautiful, always a plus with a western shot on location. Wes Studi, an American Indian of the Cherokee Nation, really reaches deep into the core of Geronimo - courageous, proud to the point of arrogance, and ultimately doomed. To Hill's credit Geronimo isn't a two-dimensional wooden noble. Likewise, his "bad" guys, in this case racist scout Robert Duvall, aren't caricatures either. Hill doesn't paint in bold contrasts, and GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND feels real. This mature approach comes at a price. It's hard to build up to big dramatic moments in an action film when you don't have highly contrasted Good Guys and Bad Guys. Fortunately for the film and the audience GERONIMO'S cast is filled with high-caliber actors able to portray complex characters without losing the audience in the process.
There's also a highly developed sense of intervention in GERONIMO. Gene Hackman's General Crook ("They don't realize it, but I'm the best friend the Apaches have") shields the Indians from a harsh interpretation of his orders. Jason Patric visually embodies this theme - in a number of scenes he steps in between an angry aimed gun and the Native American it's pointed at. Ultimately, I believe, Hill also intervenes between his audience and awkward facts and sour interpretations. It's an approach that drives some historians to distraction, but also occasionally results in highly entertaining movies.

Geronimo is bringing the story and old photographs of the Apche leader and his brave warriors to life. The accuracy of such is demonstrated in various scenes reconstructed precicely from authentic photographs from the 1880's. Strong performance by "less-is-more"-Patric, and of course Studi portrays the fierce chief with irony and necessary harshness. The mood of the film is hot and lazy, with sudden bursts of violence, the trademark of a Walter Hill movie. Fine performance by the dry Hackman, and probably Duvall doing his best since the Godfather (and of course the later "The Apostle") as the wry scout Sieber. The movie pays strong attention to details such as language, manners, music, costumes and persons, all relying on historical facts. It just lacks that tiny little bit that satisfies both the average audience and the history buffs. The first group probably miss more plot, and the latter would like to see some more, i.e. how the Apache dealt with their imprisonment in Florida and the return to Oklahoma and so on. All together an honest attempt to tell the story of one of the strongest, if not wisest, personalities in the history of native Americans.

What a wonderful and sad - but also violent - movie!!! The landscape will take your breath away - as will the actors. Every one of them perfectly cast for their role. Also the stunts with the horses, each and every single location - couldn't have been picked better.
What remains a mystery to me though is why Columbia doesn't present this masterpiece in its original widescreen edition.
Also I think Wes Study should be mentioned first; before Jason Patric, Robert Duvall and Gene Hackman. After all he portrays Geronimo. If you have a codefree player I advise you to get the German edition through amazon.de It includes the original English sound in 5.1 Dolby Digital.
The story is well known. Geronimo, the last Apache warrior vs. the US Army trying to hunt him down. They would never have succeeded in capturing him if not for one man: the honorable Southern cavalry officer Gatewood - played by Jason Patric. Walter Hill portrays the characters magnificently, without falling back into the usual cliches while staying as close to the truth as possible. A wonderful and sad story about the power of honesty, trust and loyalty but also about their betrayal.

I agree with the analysis by Steven Hellerstedt. There are many inaccuracies in the movie. I am Apache Indian from San Carlos, AZ with relatives among the White Mountain Apache Tribe. I also have distant relatives on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in NM and the Fort Sill Apaches in Oklahoma. In the first place, the movie was made in traditional Navajo land along the Arizona-Utah border. When the elder Apaches saw the movie in Globe, AZ, they laughed because the movie starts out with a Navajo song. To be fair, Navajos and Apaches were one tribe hundreds of years ago. But given the time frame of the mid-to-late 1800s, these historical inaccuracies impeded the authenticity of the scenes.

In addition, although I speak fluent Apache, many of the scenes with subtext of Apache dialog were unintelligible. Many of the indigenous actors were not Apache, so they had trouble grasping the accent and pronunciation. A few did manage to succeed, but there was a paucity of clarity. I learned Apache before English in childhood. Catholic Nuns taught me fluent English by the 1st grade, so I never got below a 90 on my research papers in graduate school. The inferior parietal cortex of the brain adapts to multiple languages more efficiently for children. I currently work as a biomedical engineer in Florida with a Masters Degree. Geronimo's POW camp near Pensacola was damaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Back to the movie, there were some good scenes with Crook played by Gene Hackman, who is a highly gifted actor. Robert Duvall always brings to life rugged characters in military films, which is notable in his earlier work such as the well-recognized helicopter scene in "Apocalypse Now." Wes Studi does a good job of maintaining dialog in many scenes with Crook's character. Some of their comments were accurate like Crook's preference in using Apache scouts. My relative, Chief Alchesay, won a Congressional Medal of Honor while serving as a scout. One member of this family in Whiteriver, AZ served with the 5th Marine Division at Iwo Jima as an Apache Marine - Semper Fidelis.

I did not like the ending. There was a small group of Apaches that did not surrender after Geronimo left. The movie gives the inaccurate impression that the Apaches all surrendered. Supposedly, the entire tribe was sent to Florida on the train. One of my relatives, Massai, escaped from that train near St. Louis. In addition, the "Nameless Ones" were members of the Chiricuaha Apaches who fled to the Sierra Madres. These Apaches were not registered on any reservation. They befriended Tom Jeffords, a white postmaster from Tucson, AZ. The "Nameless Ones" did not surrender. See the book by "Nino Cochise." Jeffords, a true friend, never revealed their location. Their story is similar to the Seminoles of the Everglades who never surrendered. In addition, during the roundup in Skeleton Canyon, there were a few warriors who chose not to come in for the surrender. So a small group of Apaches never surrendered. They were seen among the Yaquis of Mexico. My direct ancestor, the Apache Kid, was at first a scout but became a renegade in 1889 and escaped from a stage coach near Superior, AZ. The Apache Kid escaped with other prisoners. He was never captured and last seen in San Carlos around 1935 by his relatives. He was reportedly seen with Pancho Villa's troops in the early 1900s and among the "Nameless Ones." The Apache Kid had a bounty on him for $5000 in the 1890s (a large sum at the time) and had many bounter hunters on his trail, including scouts such as Mickey Free and Al Sieber (a white bigot who referred to Apaches as "Red N--gers"). The Apache Kid was called "the one who is always hunted" by other Apaches. The movie shows none of these events after 1886. Most western Hollywood movies are never made by executive producers with a legitimate historical background that includes a PhD in history, so they are grossly inaccurate like this film about Geronimo ("Goklayeh" or "The One Who Yawns"). The movies are usually made with white supremacist views that are meant to entertain a white audience. Hence, all Chiricuahua Apaches are shown as having surrendered when a few never did like the Seminoles of the Florida Everglades.

Although the movie is based on a real U.S. Army campaign against the Apache, one feels like watching a well-made western. There are "battle scenes" that are really short skirmishes. Suprisingly, the best scene of cinematic violence is a shootout inside some bar, I mean saloon, between the heroes and a group of bounty hunters. (Hence, the title of this review.) Wes Studi plays Geronimo, an Apache shaman who refused to surrender to the U.S. and be assimilated. Being a farmer in an enclosed reservation was not his suit, nor was it for the small band of warriors who followed him as a renegade. Watching Studi, I can't help but think of his role as a Huron war party captain in "Last of the Mohicans." As in "Mohicans", Studi's character in "Geronimo" kills, both white soldiers and civilians, with cold blooded brutality. This film manages to romanticize Geronimo's noble but lost cause while also emphasizing that he and his warriors were merciless in combat and not above killing unarmed civilians.

A friend who had lent me the Alamo, Rough Riders, Squanto and Gods and Generals pressed this into my hands saying, "this is really good." Uggh, I thought, not another awful cowboy movie! Wow, I was really impressed. This is one of the best movies I have seen in the last five years!

The profound fact is that this is really a war movie set in the U.S. west, about two militaristic cultures who spend a lot of energy trying to kill each other. That sounds simplistic but the complexities are deep and abundant, and are all played out with excellent effect in less than two hours. It is a rare film that can do this in under two hours. This is rare stuff indeed!

The characters are very deep and very complex. The violence (about 50% of the movie) is dramatic and not pretty. No one culture comes away clean, everyone has their massacres. This is war after all. There is no real moralizing here, no good guys and bad guys, this gives it a very real feel.

The Apaches speak what is presumably Apache when they are speaking to each other, and English when not. This gives it a truly bilingual feel. Even the Texans vocabulary is laced with Spanish words, setting them off from others.

There is tremendous suspense. One never knows who will come out alive at any given moment. There is no predictable sense that the leading actors are guaranteed to finish the film. This is played to tremendous effect by Patric and Studi. Duvall's coarseness is a great counterpoint to the more sensitive Patric, and Hackman plays a good balance between bureaucrat and soldier.

The scenery is fantastic, and the sad story of the Apache's losing battle to preserve and express their culture in a shrinking frontier is poignant. There is much to the mix of a variety of cultures in conflict that is expressed very well here in a complex movie. Probably a film that many directors could learn from. I thought this was a tremendous film!

Matt Damon is the narrator and constant presence in this great story, based on the real-life first person account of Britton Davis. But he doesn't even rate a mention on the front of the DVD, and you have to look carefully on the back to seem him mentioned at all. To top it off, even the Amazon.com "Editorial Review" shown above gets it wrong. What gives? Not that he is necessarily the greatest presence of this exemplary ensemble; I was highly impressed with all of them, and even remarked to my wife that Jason Patric must be a fine horseman before learning that he did all the stunts himself.

The story and scenery are all first rate too. The next time you get out to Moab, Utah you can check out the spectacular locations (near or maybe in Canyonlands National Park for some of them). But the final scene is the most moving and visually impressive of any movie I have ever seen. It is worth the price of the DVD all by itself.