Indian Horse (2017)

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1. 

   Siskoid

   Indian Horse tells an important story, one Canadians need to be confronted with, about the treatment of First Nations in Canada, specifically how young Natives were ripped from their families and "reeducated" in Catholic "schools", a cultural genocide policy that was still partly in effect as late as the 1990s. Based on Richard Wagamese's novel (a Native author who went through this himself), the film tracks the ups and downs of a Native boy who shows great talent at hockey, and gets opportunities to move up in the world thanks to "well-meaning" white men. Indian Horse eventually rejects its White Messiah element, as we are forced to ask whether the better life Saul is offered is really only a better life for a white man. It upends the dreaded White Messiah narrative by making it part of aggressive assimilation. And for that reason I'll forgive its third act melodrama and over-reliance on flashbacks. Even so, I would have recommended the film based on its cinematography alone. Perhaps no surprise from a maverick camera operator like Stephen S. Campanelli, here directing his second film, but the way he contrasts the beauty of the natural world with the brutal and oddly-fitting world of the white man is incredible and perfectly manifests what Saul is going through. Campanelli knows how to give tiny moments resonance, and creates shocking transitions that transcend the expected tropes of films that, by having to show hardships and atrocities, can too easily become a horror show simply designed to make people gasp and shake their heads before returning to their homes and going about their business as if the problem were all sorted. I don't think Indian Horse lets you off the hook in that way, however. Canadians probably like to think systemic racism is something only our southern neighbor does, but we know better, don't we? 5 years 12 months ago
2. 

   bainrex7

   I went into this thinking it was a hockey movie. It is not. And as an American with our own history of problems (Wind River was a similar experience, though I far enjoy watching that movie than this), I was wholly unaware of the issue regarding the Canadian Residential Schools. The characters fool you into thinking they are actual characters but only long enough for them to be show as simple caricatures; every stereotype you can think of is thrown in. The 'white savior' trope is utterly demolished at every turn, but then again, there is no savior in this movie. The hockey sequences in themselves are great, but ultimately they are unfulfilling because racism abounds. The best I can say is this may open some peoples' eyes to these issues so we don't repeat the same mistakes in the future or the present for that matter. Would like to recommend, but you'd be better off reading the Wikipedia page on "Canadian Indian residential school system". 3/10 2 years 7 months ago

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