Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Early in the movie when the Captain is pissed and walking out of the room, the Colonel orders him to stop. The Capt's military discipline overrides every angry bone in his body to follow orders, which puts the Capt in turmoil. I can 110% relate and Christian Baile performed it perfectly. Hazaah.

Review: I wasn't a big fan of this movie because I found it quite slow and it seemed to go on forever but the storyline was quite emotional and the cinematography was spot on. I'm also not a big fan of the over-rated Christian Bale but he was the perfect choice for his role, mainly because he's moody throughout and I didn't see him crack a smile from the beginning to the end. Anyway, the film is set in 1892, were a loving family is destroyed when a Comanche war group kill Rosalee Quaid's 3 little children and her husband. Rosalee manages to escape from the ruthless Comanche tribe, by hiding in a small rock in the forest, and when she knows it's safe, she returns to her burnt down house, whilst holding her dead baby in her hands. Meanwhile, in Fort Berringer, New Mexico, Capt. Joseph J. Blocker (Christian Bale) is called into Col. Abraham Biggs (Stephen Lang) office, and he is given his last orders before he retires from the army. Biggs explains to Blocker that he is to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief, Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) back to the tribal lands in Montana, along with his family. As Yellow Hawk brutally murdered some of Blocker's war buddies, Blocker turns down the mission but when Biggs threatens to take away his pension and give him a court-martial, Blocker agree's to the mission. As the president has signed for the release of the prisoners, Blocker is forced to chaperone Yellow Hawk and his family with no mistakes but he is determined to make their journey as uncomfortable as possible. He puts together a unit to join their journey, who he orders to put chains on the 2 native men. Whilst on there journey, they come across Rosalee's burnt house, and they find her inside with her dead children. Blocker manages to convince her to join them on there journey, so they bury her children and then they head off to Montana. On their way, they are attacked by a Comanche tribe, which damages some of Blocker's unit. The rest of the film just follows them on their journey to Montana, where they come across more Comanches, and Blocker and Yellow Hawk finally gain each other's trust. When they finally get to Montana, Yellow Hawk dies of cancer, and while they are burying him, an American landowner threatens Blocker and the rest of his group, for burying an Indian on his land. After a severe gun battle, which results in most of Yellow Hawks family getting murdered, Blocker and Rosalee manage to survive, along with Little Bear, Yellow Hawks grandson. There are some touching moments which were quite emotional, and I like the root message about racism and class but I still found it a bit too long, and quite boring. It was good to see the different situations from both sides, and the concept is relevant to today, so from that point of view, it's worth a watch. With that aside, we have all been watching Cowboy & Indians movies since we were small, and although this has a deep message, it still seems the same as the black and white movies that were made decades ago, so don't expect an Oscar-winning film. Average!Round-Up: This movie was written and directed by Scott Cooper, who also brought you the Oscar-winning Crazy Heart, Out Of The Furnace, which also starred Christian Bale, and Black Mass with Johnny Depp. He obviously has a versatile style of movies, which have all been successful at the box office but I wasn't that impressed with this film. After watching the bonus material, he made a point of making an authentic film, which stayed true to the period, which he successfully did but from an entertainment point of view, I won't be watching it again anytime soon. As for Christian Bale, his career has gone on a downhill slump since the Dark Knight but he's due to voice Bagheera in the new Mowgli movie which is due out in 2019, so his filmography will be getting a well-needed boost soon.Budget: $50million Worldwide Gross: $40millionGenre: Adventure, Drama, Western Cast: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Scott Shepherd, David Midthunder, Rory Cochrane, Jonathan Majors, Scott Wilson, John Benjamin Hickey, Stephen Long, Wes Studi, Jesse Plemons, Adam Beach, Peter Mullan and Ben Foster. 5/10

I watched this movie at home on BluRay from our public library system, my wife decided to skip and read instead. The making-of extra is interesting, the writer/director explains how he wanted to make a western but with a message for modern times, tolerance for others with more kindness and less animosity.It is 1892, the movie starts with a scene where a family with three young daughters see a small band of Natives approaching their homestead, presumably to steal their horses. The man comes out shooting, seemingly a suicide move, and in fact only the woman survives, Rosamund Pike as Rosalee Quaid. She was destined to join the Army party to Montana.Christian Bale is war hero Capt. Joseph J. Blocker, at a Post in New Mexico, with a reputation for killing Natives, sometimes brutally. An old chief (Wes Studi) has been imprisoned for years and Blocker would really like to kill him. But instead is ordered to escort him and his family, including young grandkids, to their Montana homeland. At risk of losing his pension if he refuses.So that in essence is what the movie is about, the trip to Montana, the troubles they encounter along the way, the things they do to preserve themselves. Incidentally a trip from New Mexico to Montana is roughly 1000 to 1500 miles, depending on your route. That's a difficult trip in 1892 on horseback.Overall a very well made movie of a difficult subject.

I was shocked at how good this turned out to be. I mean we figured this was going to be a pretty good "era" movie , old western as it were that Christian Bale does so well, but this truly turned out to be one of the best that he has done in awhile . And Rosamund Pike (from Gone Girl) was OUTSTANDING in this. Her partrayal of a wife and mother whose entire family is slaughtered by a band of rogue Cheyenne Indians is chilling. Her performance throughout is just impressive. It is a moderately paced western that keeps the story steady and the characters in check so you aren't lost which is a VERY welcome trait in my book because so many lately are doing the opposite. Trying to add too many characters to the story and in the process you lose track of the story line. THIS DOES NOT DO THAT. Bale keeps things moving and you know where your story is headed at all times. Wes Studi as the Indian Chief is amazing. He has played this role in many other movies and he does it with mastery. Adam Beach is the same. He doesn't say much but doesn't have to, he is excellent in his roll as supporting.The ending is a little surprising and yet sad and then finally good. All in all it is an enjoyable way to spend 2hrs of time.