The French and Indian War
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The movie is set in the 1757 during the French and Indian War. The story is about a white man named Hawkeye who was raised by Chingachgook and Uncas, which are the last of a dying tribe called the Mohicans. These three men are on their way to Kentucky, when they encounter a war party attacking a small group of British soldiers, who are taking the two daughters of a British colonel to fort William Henry. Hawkeye becomes the protector of Cora and Alice, who have been targeted by Magua, a vengeful, Huron warrior who wants to destroy the girls and their father for a past injustice. Hawkeye makes it his mission to take the girls to their father as two love stories take place and the war rages around them.
Historically, this movie gives you a glimpse into the French and Indian War. When the British get attacked by the Indian party in the forest, they get in there lines and wait for the commander to yell attack and they would all fire at the same time. This also happened in real life and would leave the British vulnerable while they would reload. This could have made the movie more realistic to the audience who knew more about the French and Indian war. The movies setting is also very engaging. Most of the movie was shot at the beautiful Chimney Rock Park in North Carolina. The Lush scenery and the captivating mountains introduce you to the lifestyle of the Mohicans and the freedom of the land. The costumes and the way the characters looked were very detailed. The actors that were chosen to play the characters also fit the role very well. Chingachgook whose name is Russell Means is in real life an Indian activist and knows a lot about the Native American culture. This could have been why Mann decided to put him in the movie. The movie was also released in a time where the dominant society still saw Native Americans in an inferior way. There was a lot of controversy about how the movie portrayed Native Americans as savages and the white man as the dominant power. Many people might agree with this but in this movie actually gives Native Americans a real role. Unlike Dances with Wolves this movie shows that the Native Americans can think for themselves and dont need a white man to show them how to.
The romance in this movie is captivating. Cora and Hawkeye form a bond and it soon blooms into an intimacy that you can feel through the screen. The movie shows that there is a price to pay for their love. The relationship that isnt