TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

GazerRise Fantastic!

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

barrwell This is one of my personal favorites. I gave it a 9 as I don't think that it's a perfect film, though it is very close. The acting is great and it's heart is in the right place. There are dozens of plot descriptions available here, so i will just tell you why you might love this film....a very honest and realistic portrayal of native Americans (by native Americans, like the excellent Graham Greene from 'Dances with Wolves').excellent location cinematography, it was filmed in the badlands.one of the most satisfying climactic scenes ever....it really feels good.the film has a fairly strong anti-government sentiment to it...(if you're all gung-ho for the US government, this film may not be for you).Thunderheart is based on actual events that happened on Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970s. John Trudell, who plays Jimmy Looks-twice (the FBIs main suspect), was actually there! He is a real real-life Sioux activist whose character is loosely-based on Leonard Peltier. Some other quick tidbits, look for David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as a bartender in the bar room scene. I love the allegorical last shot of the film with Ray (Val Kilmer) in his car. Very fitting...which way to go? The whole film fits perfectly and usually I will say that many films wont appeal to every taste, however in the case of Thunderheart I will say this ....I don't know one person whose opinion I value who doesn't like this movie!further note: If you like this one try watching the 1970 classic 'Little Big Man'.

bkoganbing There's been a murder on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota and it's connected to reservation politics. Assistant FBI director Fred Dalton Thompson thinks it would be a good idea to specifically assign an agent with an Indian and specifically a Sioux heritage to investigate the homicide, figuring that the insular Sioux might better cooperate with him. Agent Val Kilmer fills the bill and he's assigned to one of the bureau's top operatives Sam Sheppard who reluctantly takes him along. Even Sheppard who's a loner sees that Kilmer just might be useful here.To say that there is more on this reservation than meets the eye is putting it mildly. And Kilmer finds he has a destiny here and he does in fact solve the case with the help of reservation cop Graham Greene.When referring to Indians in the USA their various tribes are called this or that nation. Calling them a nation as far as Thunderheart is concerned is correct in more ways than one. The reservations have their own autonomy in a lot of things, but they are also covered under the Constitution of these United States although you wouldn't think so the way tribal chief Fred Ward runs things. In fact the scenes of his reservation police disregarding basic fundamental rights could come out of some third world nation. That is the scariest part of Thunderheart and the part you will remember best.There's not just murder here, there's corruption on a grand scale and that is the destiny that Val Kilmer has in this film, to root it out and expose it. Just what is going on and who is involved you have to watch Thunderheart for.Although this is a part Lou Diamond Phillips should have played, Val Kilmer does fine in the lead. Another memorable role is that of Sheila Tousey, schoolteacher and Indian activist who has a good idea of what's going on and makes no bones to Kilmer about where his loyalties should lie.Sam Sheppard's role as an FBI agent is one that never would have seen the light of day if J. Edgar Hoover was alive. You'll see what I mean when you watch Thunderheart.Thunderheart is a fine drama, nicely photographed on location with fine performances uniformly from the cast. We can only hope that tribal leaders like Fred Ward are some kind of aberration among the American Indians.

Lee Eisenberg In 1992, director Michael Apted released two accounts of the American Indian Movement: there was the documentary "Incident at Oglala" about Leonard Peltier, and the feature film "Thunderheart", loosely based on the Leonard Peltier case. This one features the ancestrally Indian Val Kilmer as an ancestrally Indian FBI agent investigating events in Pine Ridge in the 1970s and getting more interested in his own indigenous heritage.If absolutely nothing else, this movie should call to mind the history of Native Americans. They discovered America, but we don't admit it because they didn't colonize the Americas for another country. The Indians have gallantly fought against terrorism since October 12, 1492, while we act as if terrorism only emanates from the Middle East. They're reduced to running casinos to stay alive. For the record, at least some Indians don't like the word "tribe", preferring "nation".All in all, I really recommend this movie. Also starring Sam Shepard, Graham Greene, Fred Ward, John Trudell and presidential candidate Fred Thompson (I would never expect a creep like him to star in a movie like this, but he did, and later starred in "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee").

mjhalta I have watched this movie several times and it is a valued part of my collection. Not all the movies in my collection are worth collecting but this one is. The acting is superb with Val Kilmer and Graham Greene putting in what I think should have been Oscar winning performances. The setting of this movie is extremely realistic with the current 3rd world conditions of reserves clearly on display. This is a great mystery with native culture, values and visions thrown in to keep it interesting. The ending is satisfying and it would have been nice to have Kilmer and Greene team up again(Sequel) as there was a lot of good team chemistry going on between them.