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My Take on Black Cloud
(7/20/06)


A followup to my Indian Comics Irregular essay Black Cloud Has Silver Linings and my Newspaper Rock entry Dueling Views on Black Cloud:

I'd say Black Cloud isn't as good as the glowing praise, but isn't as bad as the critical pans. Here's how I see it:

The good:

The average:The bad:The ugly:Despite these criticisms, I enjoyed the movie enough to keep watching. I'd recommend it for fans of Native-themed films. Rob's rating: 7.0 of 10.

More dueling views
An exchange with correspondent Carole:

>> you're too kind here, rob. i'd give "black cloud" a 4 rating. here's why—the dialogue made me wince and there were enough stereotypes to offend everybody: the angry young native; fat, lecherous bigot; vicious redneck. yes, i would agree that there were several high points—mostly the acting by russell means and nathaniel arcand, but they weren't onscreen enough to offset eddie spear's scene chewing overacting and rick schroder's sophmoric script. <<

I don't necessarily rate a film low because of its stereotypes. Sometimes I can enjoy a film viscerally while noting the stereotypes intellectually.

Almost every Native-themed film by non-Indians has some stereotypes, yet I rarely rate such films lower than a 6.0 or a 7.0. Often they accomplish something artistically despite the stereotypes.

Related links
The best Indian movies


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