7.9
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Viewer Rating
Rating: 7.9
Overview
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Bias Dimensions
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
Christianity: Negative
Overview
Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Progressive
Primary
The film's central thesis explicitly promotes progressive ideology through its strong anti-colonialist narrative, which critiques the systemic injustices of American westward expansion and champions indigenous culture and environmentalism as morally superior.
The movie features visible diversity through its Native American cast, without explicitly recasting traditionally white roles. However, its narrative strongly critiques traditional white American expansionism and military actions, portraying these elements negatively while celebrating Native American culture.
Secondary
The film implicitly critiques the destructive and hypocritical aspects of the 'civilized' white culture, which is largely Christian, by contrasting it unfavorably with the Lakota way of life. The narrative shows the violence, greed, and lack of spiritual connection among the white settlers, leading the protagonist to abandon this world.
Dances with Wolves is an epic Western film centered on a Union Army lieutenant's experiences with a Lakota tribe. The narrative does not feature any LGBTQ+ characters, relationships, or themes, resulting in no portrayal of queer identity within its scope.
Dances with Wolves does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The film's narrative centers on a Union Army lieutenant's experiences with a Lakota tribe, focusing on cultural integration and conflict in the American frontier.
The film does not depict any female characters engaging in or winning close-quarters physical combat against male opponents. Female characters, while present, are not shown in combat roles that fit the specified criteria.
Dances with Wolves is an original story, not an adaptation of a pre-existing work with established characters of a different gender. All characters were created for this specific film and novel, and their on-screen genders align with their original conception.
The film is an adaptation of a novel where the characters' races align with their on-screen portrayals. There are no pre-existing canonical or historical characters depicted as a different race.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
8.0
7.8
Critic Ratings
8.7
7.2
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