Thunderheart **½ (1992, Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene, Fred Ward) – Classic Movie Review 10,905

Director Michael Apted’s 1992 crime mystery thriller Thunderheart is written by John Fusco, shot by Roger Deakins, and scored by James Horner, and stars Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene and Fred Ward. There is a lot of quality talent both on and off screen.

FBI agents Ray Levoi (Kilmer) and Frank Coutelle (Shepard) are sent from Washington to check out a murder on an Indian reservation, a poverty-stricken Sioux territory. Kilmer has been picked because he is half Native American, though he does not know his Sioux parents. Sheriff Walter Crow Horse (Greene) helps Kilmer to unravel the mystery with the aid of a local schoolmarm and a tribal elder who encourage Kilmer’s Indian side.

Thunderheart is an intriguing, well-meaning yarn with useful hints of humour but also a slight air of being a bit too pleased with itself. The fact that Ray Levoi (Kilmer) has visions and is on the side of the good guys does not necessarily make his character particularly likeable, and the story follows a predictable pattern, with no surprises to pull out of the bag, so it does not always work as well as it should.

Nevertheless, the film does hot up and gain a grip as it goes along, though director Apted shows no aptitude for action. Shepard is good value as the cynical veteran investigator Frank Coutelle and Greene adds more value as Sheriff Walter Crow Horse. The locations and cinematography by Roger Deakins are other assets, along with the score by James Horner.

It was made with the support of the Oglala Sioux people, who trusted Michael Apted and John Fusco to tell their story, based on actual Reservation occurrences of the Seventies.

It is shot at Badlands National Park, South Dakota; Wounded Knee Cemetery, South Dakota; Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota; and Washington, District of Columbia.

Also in the cast are Fred Dalton Thompson, Sheila Tousey, Ted Thin Elk, John Trudell, Julius Drum, Sarah Brave, Patrick Massett, Rex Linn, Brian A O’Meara, Dennis Banks, David Crosby.

Thunderheart is directed by Michael Apted, runs 119 minutes, is made by TriStar Pictures, Tribeca Productions and Waterhorse Productions, is released by TriStar Pictures (1992) (US) and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (1992) (UK), is written by John Fusco, is shot by Roger Deakins, is produced by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and John Fusco, is scored by James Horner and is designed by Dan Bishop.

It runs 119 minutes but the TV version removes 22 minutes of footage. After Apted objected, Tristar removed his name from the film and credited the TV version to pseudonymous director Alan Smithee.

On a budget of $15,000,000, it grossed $22,660,758 in the US.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,905

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com