Squanto: A Warrior's Tale

Rating:
Summary: Supportive of Christians
Review: A good movie, great for kids, enjoyable for adults, though not Academy material. Gives new insights into Squanto's life that are not usually known by the general populace and helps enflesh the legend. One of only a handful of Hollywood, general box-office, movies that paints Christians in a good light- worth seeing for that historical note alone. The monks and Squanto are the heros in the movie, and Christians are committed, imperfect, and redeemed.

Rating:
Summary: Well Done
Review: A well-paced action adventure to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Rating:
Summary: Early Native American East Coast Area
Review: Excellent use of early N.A. accoutrements and design. Story line easy to follow. Acting is very believable. Characters are stong and this movie leaves you wanting more. I bought it and have watched it many times. Use of native languages is a BIG plus.

Rating:
Summary: Meeting of Cultures
Review: This is a good historical family movie in the tradition of some that Walt Disney personally produced. There is action, suspense, drama and most of all heart to this story. Adam Beach is wonderful as Squanto. Squanto's encounter with the bear, his introduction to horses and his breaking of bread with the men of the Holy order are classics. I found it to be very entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: This isn't history
Review: This movie had great reviews, so I was eager to watch it, but threw it in the trash afterwards. Sadly, this is an example of historical revisionism, not a "true story." I'd give it zero stars if that were possible.

The real Tisquantum (nicknamed Squanto) was an adolescent, not a married young man, when kidnapped by Spanish, not English, slave traders. He was purchased on the slave block by monks, who taught him the Spanish language and the Christian faith. He lived with them for five years, until they secured a home for him with an English family in London. In England Squanto learned a second language, English, and waited another five years until he found passage back to North America. When he finally arrived home, he found his tribe completely wiped out from disease (they had no immunity to pathogens picked up accidently from the Europeans) -- that one bit the movie did correctly report -- and in his sorrow went to live in seclusion in the wilderness near his tribal village.

A year or so later, Samoset found him, told him of the Pilgrims who'd settled in his village, and encouraged him to meet with them. There was no near-war between Pilgrim and Native American hostile to them (hostilities did happen, but later); no chief's son who was saved from death by the joint actions of a European doctor and American Medicine Man. It just didn't happen the way this movie depicts.

Instead, the Pilgrims were amazed that Squanto spoke English. According to their records, he welcomed them, and he taught this group of non-farmers how to survive. The Pilgrims had lost huge numbers from the deadly winter, but with his help the group flourished. They also indicated he embraced the Christian faith.

This film skips over all this completely, and adds in terrible material such as being thrown in a pit to fight a bear for the entertainment of the British population. Not only did that never happen to Squanto, there's no record that any Native Americans were treated that way in Europe.

This isn't to say that the Native Americans weren't abused by Europeans -- they were, and much of the relations between them were poor. But that sad truth doesn't justify completely re-writing Sqanto's story just to prove some kind of point.

Sometimes filmmakers are flexible with history for the purposes of creating a more exciting story (frankly, much of human history is kind of boring). But I wish they hadn't changed this one. The true story is exciting enough; perhaps someday Squanto's real story will be filmed.

Rating:
Summary: This is a wonderful movie!
Review: This movie is one of the best movies I have ever seen. There are lots of depressing parts of this movie though. Squanto, an indian, marries a woman named Nakooma. English traders came to trade and gave some of the indians, including Squanto, a look at the ship. Unfortunately it was a trick and Squanto and his friend were captured. They were the only ones captured because the others lept out and swam for shore. When Squanto was captured the other indians, along with Nakooma, came out in canoes to try to rescue them. The atempt failed and Nakooma was left alone. Squanto and his friend arrived in Europe and were forced to entertain. Squanto succcfully ran away from them and is injuried badly. He made his way to a monastary where the Monks treat him and teach him. Squanto in turn taught the Monks of his culture. Squanto leaves with a monk to go to his homeland. When they left Squanto is once again captured. He escaped and rode his horse onto a ship and told of gold in his homeland. They take him back to his home where everyone has died because of desiases carried over. He lived there by himself and one day came upon the pilgrims who had landed and Plymouth Rock. Squanto gave peace but his neighboring tribe was ready for war. A indian boy shot and missed with a bow and arrow, then was shot. He was healed by one of the pilgrim doctors. The tribes made peace and had a feast for two generations which we now know as Thanksgiving.

Rating:
Summary: I wished it would never end
Review: This movie should be played in every household at Thanksgiving to show how the first Thanksgiving could have been like.

It is also a good movie to remind us "Americans" of how this country was taken from the real American, the Native Americans, and their people never compensated for it. A beautiful people pretty much ignored in this country. And if any actor could make one feel humbled by it, it is the endearing Adam Beach who did a wonderful job in this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Should be a Thanksgiving Day Classic.
Review: This movie should be played in every household at Thanksgiving to show how the first Thanksgiving could have been like.

It is also a good movie to remind us "Americans" of how this country was taken from the real American, the Native Americans, and their people never compensated for it. A beautiful people pretty much ignored in this country. And if any actor could make one feel humbled by it, it is the endearing Adam Beach who did a wonderful job in this movie.

Rating:
Summary: ¡Muy linda!
Review: Ya iba siendo hora de que se tratase al personaje del indio americano con un poco más de humanidad y respeto. A pesar de tener una gran dosis de fantasía, esta película es muy agradable y bonita. ¡Espero que les guste tanto como me gustó a mí! Tal vez esto anime a los directores y productores de cine a generar más películas similares a ésta.

Rating:
Summary: ¡Muy linda!
Review: Ya iba siendo hora de que se tratase al personaje del indio americano con un poco más de humanidad y respeto. A pesar de tener una gran dosis de fantasía, esta película es muy agradable y bonita. ¡Espero que les guste tanto como me gustó a mí! Tal vez esto anime a los directores y productores de cine a generar más películas similares a ésta.