Pocahontas

Rating: 5/10 (3 November 2008)

I remember seeing this Disney animated film at the cinema and crying at the end, I wondered if seeing it again I would have a similar reaction, and ultimately if I enjoy it. Basically Capt. John Smith (Mel Gibson) leads his crew of English sailors to the New World, with Governor Ratcliffe (Beauty and the Beast's David Ogden Stiers) greedy for the rumoured treasures. In this land lives a Native American tribe, with Chief Powhatan (Natural Born Killers' Russell Means) wishes his daughter, the beautiful Pocahontas (Irene Bedard, with Judy Kuhn singing), to marry the village's greatest warrior, Kocoum (James Apaumut Fall). Pocahontas however has had visions that a change is coming to the land, a true path she must follow, and obviously it is John, who she quickly falls in love with, and vice versa. Their love however cannot survive the war that soon grows between the New World and the English who may plan to destroy the land, both sides believing each other are savages. In the end, the war seems to be put to an end, and John is forced to leave when Radcliffe shoots hit, and he will most likely die if he stays, and Pocahontas decides to stay where she belongs. Also starring John Kassir as Meeko, Christian Bale as Thomas, Linda Hunt as Grandmother Willow, Billy Connolly as Ben and Frank Welker as Flit. The animation is as good as you could expect, the story is mildly interesting, with its "love conquers all" factual subject, but it doesn't measure up to the success of the year before's The Lion King, and Gibson's English accent is silly. It won the Oscar for Best Music, Best Song for "Colors of the Wind" (it also won the Golden Globe), and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Original Score - Motion Picture. Worth watching!