this be one of the most genuinely multicultural and or cross cultural and work of film art i have ever see . there be quite a few film of course that show another culture point of view and no lack of film show an idealized indian point of view . but this one show two very different culture in early contact with each other and for the most part manage to show u each culture and great lake algonquin and huron on the one hand and and french or european canadian missionary colonizer on the other and from each other point of view . it be the most successful example of that i have ever see . and it do all this within a serviceable plot . not great and but serviceable and apparently true and so far a the basic outline be concern at least . a be say above and the early part of the movie drag too much . the whole movie and in fact and be rather slow . but that tend to be the nature of these sort of film . their emphasis be on cultural understanding . it do a pretty amazing job of that . unlike most film of this sort and the amerindian be not idealize . ( a for instance they be pretty unreservedly in dance with wolf and little big man . ) the special and central brutality of some of their custom be amply demonstrated and especially towards the end . the huron be prepared to skin the rival chief they have capture literally alive and after kill and then burn alive his child one by one and essentially to make a political point . it do not look like an easy life and and i imagine far few people would leave this movie thinking they would have want to be indian and or live among them and than feel that way after film such a dance with wolf . it be such a hard life . and yet many spiritual and wonderful thing about the native culture come through without question . the centrality of dream vision in their spiritual world be give real power and and we can feel it . we can see how they see the french and and the suppose best of the french and the black robe . it be very much how one feel when one can understand two mutually exclusive belief system . i suppose in a sense the point of view be close to that of the young french companion and guide for the priest . he fall in love with a beautiful and very young indian chief daughter and and try to join their group and yet he also understand the priest and and be attract to his spirituality . he see both side and so do we . it be an interesting movie for those who be historically or anthropologically interested . it be probably a bit slow if you be just look for action in a colorful setting . it doesn not have the pace of last of the mohegans and for example . but that movie be mostly about settler and british military life on the indian frontier but bridge understand of the native culture they be in conflict with and among and to some extent and through the half breed hero . this one be mostly about indian life at first contact with the white . fascinating and if you like this sort of thing at all . i certainly do .