The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

If this were not a remake of the classic book by James Fennimore Cooper, I would have probably given it 6 stars. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to the book. Do yourself a favor if you have not, and pick up the book this movie was based on. It's not one of those "classics" that are loved by critics but not accessible to normal people. Rather it's excellent writing that sucks you in and won't let go. It's also a little grim a times, but nevertheless worthy of it's reputation. The movie is rated R, however the directors weren't willing to put some of the more realistic elements from the book into the movie, instead just going for a slightly-better-than-average action movie. Nothing extraordinary here.

I do not write reviews often, but The Last of Mohicans compels me to write a review for a film that I think is vastly underrated and one of the greatest films of all time. I consistently watch this movie once a year and each time I watch it I enjoy it as much as the first.Now for the reasons:CinematographyThe locations, costumes, feel of the time period, and how each scene is shot with care never ages this movie. Many movies do not age well, but 26 years after the fact and Mohicans has aged better than many films made in the last 10 years.ActingDaniel Day Lewis as Hawkeye is in top form. He owns Hawkeye in this movie and plays him not only as a strong warrior, but a compassionate and individual who puts a lot of thought in to every action.Madeleine Stowe as Cora gives her best performance in Mohicans. She plays the older, wiser, but still vulnerable and somewhat naive older sister exceptionally well. Stowe and Day-Lewis are an extremely convincing romantic couple.Jodhi May as Alice is in my opinion is the standout actress in this movie. Her portrayal as a young siste,r who is not only extremely naive but incapable of comprehending and handling what goes on outside her wealthy daily lifestyle, is truly mesmerizing. Her haunting scene on the mountainside promenade is unforgettable.Eric Schweig as Uncas is vastly underrated. Eric very humbly once said in an interview "people come up to me and said I did such a great job acting Uncas, but I always tell them that I didn't do anything except run and say a few words", which is partially true, but he didn't have to. His facial and emotional acting for the character conveyed everything about Uncas. His love for Alice. Likewise his scene on the mountainside promenade in an effort to prove his love for and save Alice is one of the saddest, brutal, and unforgettable fight scenes in the movie.Finally Wes Studi makes the perfect villain as Magua. He is brutal in his unrelenting quest for vengeance against the British, namely Colonel Monroe and his daughters. You feel some sympathy for his situation and what happened to him with this loss of his wife, but on the other hand you will hate him for the way he carries out his vengeance. By the end of the movie you are ready for him to be brutally destroyed by Chingachgook.StoryI've tried many times to read James Fenimore Cooper's novel and watch other movies which followed the book's story. I'll be blunt here and say the book and the previous movies were very boring. I could never finish any of them. Mohicans has action, romance, drama, and tragedy. It makes for a much better movie than any movie that is follows the book.RomanceI am not a big fan of romance, but Mohicans is my kind of romance. Two unlikely, but strong female and male characters start off at odds but eventually come to respect and finally love each other. When they are both in the infirmary and Hawkeye is looking up and down at Cora, which would be offensive to nearly anyone in her position due to her social standing and the time, Cora asks "what are you looking at sir?" to which Hawkeye replies "well I'm looking at you miss". Cora looks down first in embarrassment, but then looks back up with strength and a smile. It's one of the best romantic scenes in the movie. Shortly thereafter with "The Gael" playing on a violin in the background Hawkeye takes Cora's hand and they head out of sight in a scene that shows passion but still leaves something to the imagination. Not something that is done often in modern times.ActionThe fight scenes are very well executed. Day-Lewis who is somewhat stiff in his athletic ability has done enough training to make Hawkeye a convincing warrior. The march of the British army with Major Hayward leading the escort of Cora and Alice to their father is thrilling once Magua starts the attack. There is tension in every scene as Hawkeye, Uncas, and Chingachgook lead Cora, Alice, and Major Heyward back to the British Fort. The Massacre is so well executed and you feel the fear of every survivor of the British fort being lead to their death. Finally, the mountainside promenade battles will have you cheering for the Last of the Mohicans to stop Magua and save Alice.MusicMohicans simply would not be the same movie without the soaring, epic, and romantic soundtrack composed by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman. The main title track is an unforgettable and rousing piece of music that has been used numerous times by people across the world, from MMA fighters to rappers and even Nike commercials.Trevor Jones is responsible for the rousing main title, the romantic pieces "The Kiss" and "Promenade" derived from a scottish folk piece "The Gael".Randy Edelman provides the softer pieces that help connect the emotion and story.26 years later and the soundtrack is still as stirring as it was the first time I saw Mohicans.DirectingMichael Mann as always is an amazing director. These words from Eric Scheig in an interview tell you everything you need to know about Michael Mann from the eyes of one of his actors:"MP: Okay...... So what was it like to work with Michael Mann?ES: He was intense. He's a nice enough guy. He's pretty intense. He's one of those guys..... He's all business. He's a hard worker. He expects the same from his cast and his crew.MP: Compared to other directors you've worked with since Michael Mann, how does he fit in to the over all mold of the other directors? How is he different from them?ES: He's more meticulous, he's a perfectionist ... to the power of 10. And you know, most of them are...... but where most of them will do 3 or 4 takes of something, whether it's a close up or an establishing shot ... he'll take 12 laughs .... or 13. That's why we had, sometimes, 15 or 16 hour days."

Three trappers protect a British Colonel's daughters in the midst of the French and Indian War. Daniel Day Lewis gives a career changing perfomance in The Last of the Mohicans, the direction is breath taking with some beautiful shots of trees and rivers but also an amazing soundtrack and a brilliant Theme Song. Michael Mann's best film next to Heat easily and the most motivating and epic film about indians and i don't think that there's a better film on this genre than The Last of the Mohicans. (10/10)

Loved this movie, Day-Lewis and Stowe are so good when acting off one another in close up like after the Cameron massacre. Day-Lewis as gives us such a tight performance. His playing against been an English type is as per usual. He does not seem able to take up the battle for the land of his father in any work. What happened to him walking and talking to the Celts of Western Europe has a profound effect on his craft, as one born in London at about the same time but brought back "Home" so often I never can recall ever feeling anything but not English. It's the strangest belonging. An Englishman can be British, an Irishman can be nothing else. This forms such moments in "The Mohicans" when there are stretches of silence between Stowe and Day-Lewis. Mann's making (rather than) directing is not like any other movie I know of his. He trusts the cast to play their parts with such honesty and the gorgeous New York Hudson Valley background, the colours, sounds, the Bobcat looking at Stowe are a delight, are a full star in their own right. This movie is not like anything that is made now, maybe it too is the last hurrah of a by gone age just like the Mohican. Watch, watch it slowly, catch as much as you can and come back to it again some night you are on your own. I think it may become one of your all time favorite movies. Enjoy