The Last of the Mohicans has been a popular story ever since James Cooper wrote the novel in the early 1800s. This is at least the third time that it has been adapted into a movie. The story was turned into a full blown adventurous romance for the nineties crowd. The few who have read the novel might not agree with director Michael Mann's adaptation, as he took just the best moments from the story to create a flawed, but appealing piece of entertainment.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays Coopers mythic hero, Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Bumppo, an orphan who was raised and brought up under Mohican Indians. As he grew older, he found himself in the midst of the battles between the French and the British. Hawkeye and some other Mohicans step in to save the day when some British soldiers are ambushed while escorting Cora and Alice Munro to see their father. This creates an exciting adventure through many dangerous situations throughout the film. The romance kicks in as Cora's attraction grows for the strong, soft-spoken warrior, Hawkeye, who is a far contrast from British Major Heyward, who is also competing for her affection.
Michael Mann makes relatively few films, however, each film stands as one of the best of its year, including Heat in 1995 and The Insider in 1999. His Mohicans adaptation proved to be a stepping-stone to an even greater career. The Last of the Mohicans doesn't rise to the emotional level of movies like Glory and Saving Private Ryan, but the battle scenes are breathtaking and the universal tale of love and honor will speak equally to both genders.
I enjoyed this movie greatly because of the effect that it had portraying a young orphan, growing up under a different environment, who adapted like it was his own. The story is exciting and also romantic. I think that Mann did a great job at interpreting and recreating some things from the book. .
