Coyote Waits (2003)

Was pleasantly surprised with this film as a friend who contributes to public television recommended it to me. Since the movie started at 2 a.m. my hopes initially was that the film would be a dud and I could go to bed. Instead this film has me wanting to purchase it to view again and possibly add the initial film Skinwalkers along with the purchase. The Tony Hillerman novels will also be purchased for a good read as well.For me, fortunately the pace and structure of the movie was outstanding in this CSI laden era of mystery. The back and forth development of the case was to me intriguing and provided enough information to get you involved but not to much information to stop your personal hunt to figure out who committed the crimes.There was enough personal concern for Adam Beach's character Jim Chee to strive for the resolution of this mystery. From time to time it is nice to see a Movie/TV cop solve a crime because it is the right thing to do without car chases or autopsy scenes shocking your senses.

As a longtime Tony Hillerman fan I looked forward to a better treatment of his Jim Chee novels than previous efforts. Visually Coyote Waits was very attractive but unfortunately was unable to impart the feel of the long lonely roads and the dry heat of the four corners region. The film was somewhat better at giving us a glimpse of Navajo culture, but unfortunately it was only a glimpse. In particular I missed the periods of silence and waiting we learned about in the books. Sure that's dead time in a visual medium, but that is important to the Navajo culture and the novels. The plot was very close to the novel, and the few concessions that were made were quite understandable. I hope we see more of Capt. Largo, Lt. Leaphorn and more insight into Officer Chee in future Hillerman treatments. All in all, worth a watch and certainly better than the formula mysteries we see regularly on broadcast TV.

While watching this movie, you follow two Navajo police officers as they uncover the truth behind a series of murders. This enjoyable, well acted, film keeps you guessing until the end. Due to the scenery, it is visually entertaining as it maintains a good story line. At the same time, the characters are full of life and emotion, but not so much as to overwhelm the mystery lurking beneath the story line. Adam Beech and Wes Studi both give good, believable performances. As this is an intelligent persons movie, I would recommend this film to people who do not need graphic violence or bad language to enjoy a film.

The second American Mystery! Special from a Tony Hillerman book, that basically picks up where the first one ended. Praise should be given to the producers of Mystery!, the ones who listened to the American audience when it begged for stories from American writers that were set in America. Both Adam Beech and Wes Studi reprise their roles as lawmen, seeking truth this time about an unlikely murderer and the crime he supposedly committed. The struggle between mythology and law continues in this movie as Adam Beech's character, Jim Chee, has to deal with doubt and remorse, and Joe Leaphorn, played again by Wes Studi, reluctantly seeks positive proof about the reservation murder.Robert Redford also lends his name again as Executive Producer, thus ensuring the unchanged production value. There is no doubt that the next movie, due to air in Spring of 2004, will exceed its predecessors in taut, mysterious entertainment.