If I saw the movie with my own language subtitle . I thought I could catch more than 90% of the meaning , but it would not help me to learn English . However , I knew how to write afterwards in Chinese , but when I wanted to write something about what I saw and how I felt after watching this film with English . I have totally no idea , and it is very difficult to start and easy to get frustrated .
I could not believe that twenty years have passed since I first saw this movie . I was a senior high school student at that time , and this was one of the first movies I ever saw that won a lot of Oscars. I thought it would be a great movie and incredibly powerful . However I could understand the most of the meaning on this movie due to the teacher's introduction had already been introduced . This masterpiece novel was written by Michael Blake , and this successful film was made by Kevin Costnes .
From the opening scene , I felt Dunbar was brave , affective , intellectual , energetic , and honourable . I wondered why he was a suicidal soldier at that character . Maybe the healthcare was poor , he was unwilling to stay alive with sacrific of principles or honour , so if he had to have his leg amputated , there was nothing better than die in the Civil War . Actually , he did not die , on the contrary , those soldiers' spirit was encouraged by his suicidal riding along the enemy entrenchment . It seemed like a crazy idea and then it all went on unexpected development .
Later on , Dunbar took his post , faithfully performed his duties , awaited his relief , gradually becoming more and more comfortable in his surrounding . Most importantly things , he had a amazing friendships with the Sioux tribe and a wild wolf . Nonetheless , a friendship between an early American soldier and the Sioux tribe had never been done before , so this was a major accomplishment and a major contribution to our knowledge of American cultural history . And on top of that I believed this movie delivered a message about American history better than any book did , and the other thing we should not forget quickly . There was majesty in freedom , and that was taken away from many Indians , not just the Sioux . Native Americans were people , just like us , trying to survive and raising their children in a dangerous and changing world . They only killed when it was necessary : self-defense , protection of their land , beliefs , and so on , they could hate , love laugh and cry . This movie also showed that their societied had bouth good and bad in them , no different than us . When they murdered and scalped the white men and killed and skinned those buffalos , It made me flesh creep .
Unlike most epics , this movie ends exactly as it should . The final images , such as the journal floating down the river , Dunbar and the Sioux speaking E nglish to each other , one brave Native gay shouting his name farewell from the top cliff were so beautiful and dreamlike . They managed to be both joyful and sad .