Good plot but that's about it...acting is horrid !

I really wanted to like this movie. I really did. The premise is extremely interesting and the fact that it's based on a true story made it even more of a harrowing tale. My husband and I stumbled upon this movie while channel surfing overseas (go figure!). We had never even heard of this movie, but decided to give it a chance since it was an American-made film. While all of the actors are extremely attractive, the majority of them cannot act. Additionally, the portrayal of the natives is poor at best and racist at worst. I don't think the costume/design team did any research into what the natives in that particular area actually wore. When the main character, Barbara, (played by Kelly Greyson) is kidnapped and shown years later living among the natives, she's wearing a jean jacket and has a feather in her hair. Can you get any more generic?! Not to mention, all of the captives are forced to dye their blonde hair black? Really? It seems unlikely that this act actually took place back then. Additionally, the actors who portray the natives are speaking in somewhat broken English with perfect American accents. It's comical at times and annoying during other parts of the movie. I wish they could have effectively incorporated the natives' language rather than speaking in English. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD: The native who is in love with Barbara, named Galasko, is axed down by his rage-prone brother quite randomly. I understand that the brother has anger issues throughout the movie, but the plot fails to set up an arc of tension between himself and his brother effectively, or even develop the characters enough to warrant this random act of violence. In fact, this is a problem throughout the whole movie. The characterization and plot development are totally lacking. For example, when Galasko expresses his desire to marry Barbara, she is quite content. Literally one scene later, she realizes she cannot marry him because of her Christian faith (and the fact that her father's scalp hangs above Galasko's tent/home). You'd think that the Stockholm syndrome arc would be played out a little longer than one scene, but it's not. Another thing that bothered me, which bothers me about most Christian films, is how forcefully the topic of Jesus is introduced. I am a Christian and agree that we need more religious films out there. However, if the films are poorly made, then what's the point in making them? For example, in this film, Barbara has a discussion with Galasko about Jesus. The scene is so forced and cheesy, it's quite painful. Overall, this could have been a harrowing story about faith, love of family, and never giving up hope. Instead, it's a movie you watch to have some laughs.

Let me start out by saying, I am a Native Re en actor and have been in a few movies and several documentary's relating to the French and Indian War. And I am a Native American Little River Band Of Odawa Indians Tribal Member. The Person who put the native casting together to play the parts in the movie certainly did not do any research at all in regards to what did the woodland native people woman/men(period correct) look like as far appearance,their clothing, there hair, their beliefs, there traditions. The whole native outlook in this movie is so far fetched. It is in comparison to a Hollywood John Wayne shoot um up cowboys and Indians type native scenes. Here are a few things what I saw with the movie in regards to the native characters are so wrong. Woodland Natives Warriors east of the Mississippi for the most part only had a scalp lock in the back of the head which means the rest of the head was plucked of hair. Glasko is wearing a long porky pine roach which is western plains peoples tradition, not woodland. Squaw in the French language back then and today means Whore. Warrior men would never miss use there women, children and more so white captives or children. Remember they would replace there fallen warriors with captives, which meant males would become warriors and there hair plucked with only a scalp lock remaining. Women would become providers, not squaws for sure. There English clothes would be discarded and all would be dressed as natives. We never dyed the hair black of white captives. Food was always distributed throughout the tribe, so we never had to eat grubs believe me. Burning captives at the stake is very far fetched to say the least. Native people are far from being sadistic barbarians. And the Great Spirit is the person you call God or Jesus. We are spiritual people, God gave us our language and one of the words in our language is Gitchi Manido(Great Spirit) So one last comment in this review is, I was one of the Native Re enactors in the movie in which at the time of the filming of this movie myself and other Native Re enactors tried to tell the casting, movie director and ward robe personal that period correct clothing was not being used, and scene were just out of character for a French and Indian Type True Story Movie. Myself, Ron Pinson, Tony Wade, Dancing Elk were the only Natives who were dressed in period correct French and Indian War type clothing. At the end of the movie, they showed the casting in which I did not see one Native American name in the casting. And with that, I Have Nothing more to say.

This is one of the greatest movies of 2013. I recently had the pleasure of viewing this movie and I cannot tell you how thrilled I was with everything about this movie. The acting was superb, just the right nuance, no over acting or under acting. The script was wonderful and the story was enthralling. I am surprised that this movie only garnered one Academy Award nomination, it deserved so many more. Kelly Greyson should have been nominated for best actress, and Ray Bengston should have been nominated for best director. This movie is so much better, wholesome, and fulfilling that the usual trash that is shown in theatres now-a-days. Do yourself and your family a big favor and catch this movie when it comes to your local theatre.