Rating: 
Summary: I think Pocahontas is great!
Review: Pocahontas is a great movie with fun and adventure. It is one of Disney's best cartoons.
Rating: 
Summary: Well, really 3 1/2
Review: Okay, so I'll admit that the story is just painful. Someof the characters, like the grandmother tree, detract from the story. But if you look at the movie as a series of seperate elements, you'll find it's better than the script makes it out to be. The individual songs are really great - Alan Menken did a good job with the musical aspect of "Just Around the Riverbend," "Colors of the Wind," and "Savages," while Steven Schwartz's lyrics are really great all around (except for "Listen with your heart" which was simply a failure all around).The animation itself was far more detailed and generally just higher quality than all of its predecessors. Only Lion King and Hunchback are really comparable for going all-out with graphics. With all of this going for it, I don't see why people complain so bitterly. Yeah, it's got a lousy story. But it <I>is</I> entertaining. And even in the worst of Disney's featured animations, there's quality to be found. Enjoy it for what it is.
Rating: 
Summary: Could it be anymore unrealistic!
Review: Okay shoot me already. She suddenly can speak English and her best friend is tree. Allright Disney I'm tired of the whacky charactors already give it a rest!
Rating:
Summary: Politically-correct racism
Review: I wish my children had never seen this movie, but since I made the mistake of trusting Disney and since it reappears on TV frequently, I've used it as an opportunity to talk about the blatant (but politically-correct) racism woven through it. My point to my children: racism is wrong, no matter who it's directed at (a point that goes directly against the main theme of the movie). In this movie, there is one and only one exception to the rule that all Native Americans are good and all English are bad. John Smith is the exception that proves the rule - other than him, all British are evil (and crude, dirty, greedy, etc.). The Native Americans aren't all quite perfect but all come around in the end, while the English are clearly rotten to the core, and the world would be a better place if they were all gone. Get this movie for your children IF you want to teach them to use skin color as a way of predicting good versus evil. And don't worry, they won't get the wrong, racist lesson that dark skin is bad - they'll get the politically-correct lesson, that people with white skin are bad.
Rating:
Summary: Honestly
Review: When I first saw Pocahontas years ago as a child, I was entranced with its beauty and charming story. I still am- but only with the former. Pocahontas has arguably the most stunningly gorgeous animation of any Disney movie. Unfortunately, beauty of any kind is rarely seen outside of the movie's backdrop. Everywhere from beginning to end is fraught with violence, and while the violence never bothered me, it is the hypocritical way the stereotypes are played off of it that did. The English are all cartoonish (granted, this is a cartoon but this is really excessive, similar to depictions of the Romans in paintings of Jesus), except for the heroically Aryan Smith. Meanwhile, the Powhatan are proud and noble-looking with dream bodies. Also, the Powhatan are displayed as peace-loving people who want only to be one with nature, but they are really just as "savage" as their British counterparts (for instance, even though they may sing about how seasons go and seasons come, steady as the beating drum, their happiness stems from a war victory). Then, there are a plethora of historical innaccuracies, but to expect Disney to conform to the story of an eleven year old, somewhat unattractive native girl who later dies of syphillis and an exploitave white man who are nothing more than friends would not make for good movie-watching, so I wish that people would stop whining about this particular aspect. All the same, the movie-watching isn't great for any conciensious adult. The double standards and stereotyping totally belie the movie's message of tolerance. While I understand that many tribes felt a special connection with nature, I don't believe anyone would go so far as to tell everyone that she heard a talking tree telling her to listen with her heart (not to mention that Smith can see the tree too, showing that her communication isn't solely with the tribe). And the chief is hardly condemned for almost bringing a bloody death on a framed Smith, because the chief is just a poor victim of the vicious, greedy and suspiciously Jewish-looking Governer Radcliffe anyway. The songs are all right but often preachy and, once again, stereotyping. Should you watch this movie, turn down the sound and enjoy the scenery, because that's about all there is to enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, let's look at what Disney was really doing.
Review: For those who use history as the basis for hating this film, get over it. Disney was not telling the history of Pocahontas, but the LEGEND of Pocahontas. As with many historical figures, there are legends surrounding who Pocahontas was, so let's actually look at some of the other big complaints.
1. They made Pocahontas look much older. Well, duh. Do you really want Disney to do a love story of a 12 year old girl and a 30 year old man. How would that have gone over? Of course, if they are going to tell the love story, they are going to make the main characters adults.
2. The sequel shows Pocahontas marrying John Smith. Apparently you slept through the sequel because it is clear that she chooses John Rolfe in the sequel. (Yes, historically she marries him, converts to Christianity, changes her name to Sarah, and dies before leaving England of syphillis.) But again, do you really want to explain to your child that this American heroine died of syphillis?
3. The animal companions/talking tree. These are representative of the spirit of nature which is sacred to many Native American tribes.
Again, Disney does a really good job of telling the legend. They never have claimed historical accuracy, because that is not the story they are telling. Truthfully, the lessons here are wonderful lessons.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: When I first saw this movie, it was while working at a day care during my college years. We used to have a movie near to dismissal time so as to keep the kids entertained while we closed it down for the day. I have to say that it took every bit of my willpower to keep from ripping the tape out of the VCR and showing something else.
Who does Disney really think they are? How dare they take our American history and ruin it? I can understand sanitizing Grimm fairy tales for modern children (to an extent though it's nothing I am fond of), but sanitizing American history?!
Disney had no business doing this movie if they are so afraid to tell the story as it was. An entire generation of kids are going to grow up with the wrong idea about what really happened. Native Americans should have taken this movie on with the vigor they take on the names of sports teams. Any American should be insulted. I know I was.
Rating:
Summary: An Impressive Cinematic Achievement
Review: I think this might be one of the most amazing cinematic achievement like, ever. People need to look past the off-kilter history behind the movie and look at the amazing story of love, hate, and action that is portrayed. This movie, along with "Moonstruck", made me cry. The movingly wonderful message of how you do not love with your eyes, but with the wisdom of your great-grandma, who happens to be a tree, and also with your heart. I'm pretty sure that Disney was not trying to inform you of Pocahontas's life and death, but merely of a lesson we all need to realize: the road to being respected by your father requires staying steadfast to your lover and to be somewhat dramatic and sacrafice your life for your convictions. Though I am over the age of thirteen, I sometimes pretend I am Pocahontas, and sing catchy tunes and stand on top of rocks and wave goodbye to my lover.
This movie, plus the sequel, definitely qualify for a night of crying and laughing with Pokey and friends.
Rating:
Summary: How exactly did this film get rated only average?
Review: I'll start by saying that "Pocahontas" is my absolute favorite Disney animation ever. Yes, it is different from Disney's other animation offerings, and this is what I loved (and still love) about it. It's a much more serious film and the so-called "muted, dull" colors used only reinforce this. It's supposed to be intense and make you feel something other than ooey-gooey waffiness. For Disney romance buffs, the love story between John Smith and Pocahontas unfolded... so beautifully, I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. It's a love based on mutual understanding and respect and watching it blossom is a treat in itself. The bitter-sweet conclusion only adds to the intensity of it all (and I'm still--after several years--trying very hard to forget about the steaming pile of turd that was "Pocahontas II"). Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
The characters all had their own vivid personalities and I agree with those who've said that Pocahontas (Disney's Pocahontas, for all you "history" fanatics out there) is an amazing young lady. She's different from Disney's other, more light-hearted heroines. The film is different from Disney's other, more light-hearted ones. If this is not your cup of tea, then that's really a huge shame. However, I think that just about anyone can truly enjoy this film if they'd just throw aside any preconceived notions and just watch; just enjoy it for what it is.
A little aside: The people who've written enraged reviews saying that Disney's "Pocahontas" wasn't historically accurate and therefore dreck, should just get rid of their DVDs and never speak of this film EVER again (please, for the sake of my SANITY). What were the lot of you expecting, exactly? This is a Disney film, for crying out loud, not a blasted History Channel program. Also, those saying the racism in it was horrid/unnecessary/etc... well I'm sorry, but that's just about the entire point of this story; the message being that racism is BAD and that we should all try and accept differences and understand eachother, for nothing good can come out of hatred. This isn't even presented to the audience in symbolism, it's up-in-your-face clear. I just can't believe that it eluded so many people.
Rating:
Summary: Disney should be ashamed. As well as Mel and Demi
Review: It seems to me that people are afraid to give Disney bad reviews. DISNEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED! The true story of Pocahontas was not a cute little love story with cute animals. It is a story of the white man taking advantage of the naitve Americans. I get so angry when I think about all of the kids who will think that this was a happy story and that she "fell in love." I will make sure that my new nephew will never see this piece of "junk" until he is 18. Mel and Demi should be ashamed and give their monies to proper education. Grrr I am so MAD at these folks. I wish I could give a negaive star score!
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