Within the film, in his acting role as "Boy", River reminded me of his considerable ability to capture the moment and simultaneously get the audience to see the film in his character's eyes without intruding on the director's vision through quality of worthiness that withstands the test of time. River's role as "Boy" is a conflicted one where the character is caught between the right and wrong aspects of actions taken when in a crisis situation. His role evolves throughout the film, starting with a curious and concerned citizen turning into a one sided and obsessed futuristic reformed resident. There is a mystical element to this character in the fact that he does believe in the things unseen and has courage in the face of hardship. In his portrayal of the character, he exudes a guided hand approach where he never ventures into instilling too much fear towards others, but rather a controlled sense of command, almost foolish in some ways, yet wise in other ways.

Psychological thriller, art film and well acted with a strong American Indian theme, amid stunning cinematography (though obviously NOT the Arizona desert) - this flick is a rescued treasure and would be a gem in its own right, even had beloved River lived to complete the very few missing scenes. Dark Blood's message: 'Humanity is poisoning the earth and early colonizers were no worse than modern European Americans and other trespassers. Disrespectful to the land, as to its rightful stewards. You know nothing about this land and nothing about us. Just go. Could learning respect have been an option? Sure. Right up until the point where you killed EVERYTHING.' Wow. *and then the parallel stories with the nuclear fallout and real-life actions* This is a very strong message the writer and director are passing on, while educating us about Anasazi ruins and the struggle of a mixed blood off the reservation in a multitude of ways. Viewing the ruins first as tourists, Harry and Buffy read about the ancient peaceful people who use to live here. They return to the site later as refugees; at this point,Harry passes a sign that says WHITE MAN, THIS LAND IS POISONED BY YOU. CURSED BY US.Buffy passes a sign that says DEATH DO NOT ENTER HEREI loved the soundtrack, but it was a big miss to not include Robbie Robertson's "Ghost Dance" in it. A future edit should obviously include that song and Jonathan Pryce dubbing over George Suizer's narration, slightly edited, so the script of it sounds like one of the actors, merely adding in his own thoughts.Suizer and Jim Barton make a direct point to the audience (clearly one Phoenix approved). These writers probably knew something you don't: how many tribes exist in North America today? Don't know that? I recommend starting with The American Indians, by Edward H. Spicer. It is good to know about the past of the land we are living on, as well as the present. I am impressed with the current generation Germans wishing to understand and pay atonement for a genocide they personally had nothing to do with - makes me forgive them, as a Jew. I pray that, one day, my fellow Americans will be as humble, and learn more about American Indians, past and present.

Scenes are well made, the desert looks great, characters peer at the horizon well in the tradition of westerns, there are set designer extravaganzas. The story doesn't suffer from missing scenes; that speeds it up. What the story does suffer from is a disconnect of its elements. Buffy and Harry are a splendidly unlikeable squabbling city couple, actors to boot, stranded in the desert, which sets them up for a story in which they are humbled in the presence of some grounding element (the way Katharine Hepburn succumbs to Humphrey Bogart). That should be the solitary personage designated simply, condescendingly "Boy." But the couple doesn't let go into Boy's world. They fail to see that Boy's life and his environment have been damaged irreparably by nuclear testing; they fail to be grateful for Boy's kindness. In other words, they fail to see what a complex and powerful character River Phoenix is playing. If the viewer does, Buffy and Harry should, or they are hopelessly, tragically disconnected. Boy, look out for the culture these people come from, who aren't being shown much of your culture.

"Doesn't it get lonely?", Harry asks Boy, looking out over the wide, barren desert. "Everywhere is lonely. America is full of loud mouths always shouting and trying to get themselves heard", Boy replies.I had mixed feelings after watching Dark Blood. Finally being able to see it after all these years, it was almost as if if was just one of those films I never got around to seeing. I was only 13 at the time of River Phoenix's death, which greatly affected me. I was always intrigued as to when or even if Phoenix's final film would ever see the light of day. (The film was nearly finished shooting at the time of his death.) So when I heard that director George Sluizer was going to finish the film, I was excited but also a bit hesitant.The film opens with Boy (River Phoenix) and his dog howling at the moon. We are then introduced to Buffy and Harry (Judy Davis and Jonathan Pryce) a troubled married couple from Hollywood, who are travelling through the Utah desert. Their car breaks down not once, but twice. The second time it breaks down, they are left stranded in the middle of nowhere. When night comes, after seeing a light in the distance, Buffy goes looking for help, and stumbles upon Boy's shack. We find out that he is living in an area that was once a nuclear testing site. Besides his shack, he has also created a secret mystical cave full of survival items and the 'magical' Kachina dolls he makes.Buffy's attraction to Boy is obvious from the start. She is intrigued by and attracted to him, meanwhile Harry is becoming more and more annoyed with the situation as time goes by. When the time comes for Buffy and Harry to leave, Boy won't let them. I won't give anything else away, but it is quietly captivating and tense.Of course the big question is what happens when you are missing pieces of the puzzle, so to speak? The scenes that were never to be filmed, are now just still shots, (except for maybe one or two), with a voice-over narration by the director. It is done nicely, but I feel it would've been more effective to have moving footage of the desert instead. With these few key scenes missing, most notably between Buffy and Boy, it does slightly take away from the overall feel of the film. Still, what George Sluizer has done is impressive and ultimately special.The acting from the three leads is excellent. River Phoenix is superb. He plays Boy with a fine balance between complicated and strange. You don't know what he is going to do next. Judy Davis is terrific as the laid back and trusting Buffy. Jonathan Pryce is wonderful as the wary and uptight Harry. The chemistry between Davis and Pryce is lovely. The tension between Harry and Boy is fascinating, as seen when Boy leaves Harry alone in the middle of a canyon.The cinematography by Edward Lachman is simply gorgeous. The desolate landscape is both stunning and eerie. A fitting backdrop for the heated relationships and circumstances. The hypnotic score by Florencia Di Concilio is beautiful.It won't be a film for everyone, but if you're a fan of Sluizer's work or any of the cast, then I hope you get the chance to see it. River Phoenix was in a class of his own. He had such a strong screen presence, it was a pleasure to finally see his final film. I want to commend George Sluizer for finishing the film.