I rated this an 8 not because it is such a great film, but because it has all the elements of one. As a lite family film it plays well, but it could be a deeper, more adult tale, that would appeal to a larger audience. No disrespect to the performers really, the characters are written rather stiffly. Kiko Redwing is nice to look at, and carries his part well enough, but he's written more like a brat than a troubled kid. If you analyze his dialog, it isn't much better than the performance. I don't like to pick on kids at any rate. Charles White Eagle is amusing with his bits of wisdom and humor at Quaids expense but could be a little more aggressive. His character lacks internal conflict until a small memory flashback near the middle of the film. And neither of the central characters ever move beyond mere depictions... until a genuinely touching moment at the very end. The best performances are delivered by Quaid and Lloyd, and everyone else is peripheral. This sort of deadens the story, the way the rest of the boy's family just blends into the background.
The made for TV film 'Dreamkeeper' tells a similar story but relies too much on effects. 'Smoke Signals' has a similar theme but has a wider perspective on the community and the lore. This is a more intimate and potentially much more powerful story of a young Native American's passage into manhood and lessons about the conflicts endemic to our ongoing clash of cultures.
This is not much of a critique I know, but I do love this film and always watch it with an eye for what it might have been. I think this story deserves another shot at success. 90% of whats in theaters is remakes and sequels anyway. So why not?
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