Forget your Westworlds, your Hateful Eights and your car-crash remakes – Dances with wolves takes us back to Classic western cinema, marking Kevin Costner’s debut into directing. Though inexperienced in a directorial role, Kevin Costner manages to capture the charm and essence of epic westerns past with his vision and portrayal of Lieutenant John Dunbar. Costner’s film is supported by a talented cast including Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene and Rodney A. Grant.
The film follows a unionist Lieutenant, John Dunbar, who runs across a tribe of Sioux Native Americans during his solitary watch over Fort Sedgewick – he originally finds the fort deserted and elects to man the post on his own, lacking the man power to call back for reinforcements. After realising the futility of his mission, he decides to desert as well, electing to make contact and dialogue with the members of Sioux camp. As they learn to understand and accept each other, a kinship between the tribesmen and the unionist soldier blossoms, leading to Dunbar being accepted as an honorary member of the tribe. But with a confederate army who seeks to destroy tribes like the Sioux approaching, and their rival Pawnee tribe out for their blood, how far will Dunbar go to protect his new people?
Dances with Wolves – Saturday 10:30pm on Channel 5.
