Search - James Horner :: Thunderheart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

A diamond in the rough

Rocco Dormarunno | Brooklyn, NY | 05/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Time over time, Val Kilmer has proven that he is not just a pretty face. He has continually impressed even the most severe critics that he is a formidable actor. THUNDERHEART, to me, is among his best performances. There is some predictability in the plot: Kilmer portrays an FBI agent who is part Native-American. When he is sent to a reservation to investigate a crime, he begins to respect and embrace the heritage he had not previously acknowledged. What is not predictable, however, is how well the script avoids sentiment and focuses on Kilmer's transformation. Loosely based on the actual events surrounding Leonard Peltier's American Indian Movement, and the murders of FBI agents on the Pine Ridge reservation (all of which is the subject of Peter Matthiessen's book "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse"), THUNDERHEART is a powerful examination of the surreal and frightening life on Native American reservations. Brutality is everywhere: whites against Indians, Indians against Indians, etc. Director Michael Apted does a remarkable job of tempering the violence with scenes of beauty and with images of a peace-loving tribe of people. This is a heartbreaking film at times, but there is a sense of justice in the long-run. THUNDEHEART is not a piece of hunk-actor mind candy. This is a powerful (and underrated) film that demands your attention. It is well-worth it."

The Proud and The Conquered

Mr. Cairene | Cairo, Egypt | 05/25/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A low profile but vicious war is being waged on the Oglala Sioux reservation in South Dakota, on one hand there are the "traditionalists" who are adamant on protecting their culture, on the other are the pro-governement natives led by a particulary nasty man called John Milton (Fred Ward). This war results in a murder of Leo Fast Elk, a native who was also a council member. Due to the sensitivity if the case the FBI does the PC thing and sends a one fourth Indian agent named Roy Levoi (Val Kilmer). The first hint that the this won't be another run of the mill thriller is the Roy Levoi character, he isn't your average hero, infact he is no hero at all. When we first see him he is a "by the book" FBI man, and the film more then anything else is the story of how he wrestles with and discovers his true identity. Kilmer's performance is both subtle and superb. Good thrillers keep us guessing for the truth, great thrillers like Peter Weir's WITNESS and Jim Mcbride's THE BIG EASY are more concerned with the atmosphere and cultural quirks of the characters. Thunderheart is very nearly a great thriller, more concerned with the thematic and moral implications of the Indian tribal wars then using Indians for atmosphere. There is a real sense of discovery in watching this film, an attention to detail that gives it the credibilty to survive the rules of the thriller. There is also undercurrent supernatural element (actually spiritual would be more accurate) that is handled with subtlety and grace by the director. Hitchcock said there is no suspense in the boom, only the anticipation of one. As a result most thrillers have to survive their endings. Although on reflection Thunderheart's ending seems improbable, during the film you are carried by its momentum that you don't mind. The title of this review refers to one character's desciption of the native Indians in the U.S. . This is the most fascinating thing for me about the film, the thin line between cultural protection and xenophobia. The violence the almost certainly errupts when different cultures collide. Although the film is clearly on the Sioux's side (and correctly so), the larger subject is fascinating. Micheal Apted's recent films always seem to fall short of their alluring premises, both Nell and Extreme Measure were solid but lacking something. But in Thunderheart he has created a fascinating, beautiful and haunting film."

Haunting, beautifully mystical, hypnotic

LoveHarryPotter | Highland, CA | 08/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Run, run for the Stronghold, Thunderheart.' 'The soldiers are coming." This movie is one of my favorites. I really did not care for Val Kilmer when I found out he played a key role in that idiot of a movie Top Gun but since Thunderheart, he has become one of my favorites. You can actually see the change in Val Kilmer's eyes as his character unfolds into the shaman and guardian of Indian beliefs he becomes at the end and what an ending! I saw this movie at four different theaters and every time the audience gasped at a relieved surprise when both men turn to face The Stronghold. The director lifted a story of one man's journey of a mystical discovery of himself, his heritage, a past life and an adoration of Indian land, into a poetic defiance. All the actors, including the dog, weave a clever, funny, sad and powerful tale into one explosive climax. Even James Horner's music hypnotizes the viewer from the very beginning of the movie. It is as if you can shape shift into a another form and float across the Badlands. I see this movie once a month and when I loan it to friends, they return it with a look of wonder in their eyes. I wish there could had been some kind of sequel. If you watch the ending credits, you will see the name of the individual this movie is dedicated to. On another note, the mystical quality of the movie reminds me of The Last Wave and Never Cry Wolf which are both well done. How I wish for a sequel. Michael Apted, are you listening?"