I saw a screening of this film recently, and the most fitting word to describe it is "interesting." This film is a *fictionalized* account of the Mountain Meadows massacre by the Mormons and Native Americans in Utah Territory on September 11, 1857. Great artistic license is taken in the plot - the screenwriter deliberately attempts to humanize the event by infusing it with a love story between one of the immigrant girls and a Mormon bishop's son who is beginning to disagree with the requirements of his faith. An additional relationship story between the aforementioned son and one of his more obedient but dissenting brothers also adds emotional value. The love story itself is corny, but with the brothers' story, it exponentially increases the powerful effect of this film, which is all the more touching for its human aspects.
The film sparked numerous discussions among the audience members - political comparisons, Mit Romney comments, religious terrorist comparisons, 9/11 observations, and questioned how it would affect people's views of the Mormon faith. While it was historically accurate in some ways, it is affirmed at the end of the movie that it has never been proved that Brigham Young was associated with the attacks and that John D. Lee was the only one ever punished for the massacre. Though the immigrants are clearly made the victims in the movie, the settlers' reasons to distrust them are not discounted completely. A lot of questions and conversations were raised over the film.
All in all, this film was worth seeing. The flaws created by the love story detract from the overall plot, but what it gives back in its emotional effects adds much more. The cinematography and editing were beautifully done. What you take away is really up to you, whether you see it as a love story, historical piece, attack on the Mormon faith, or simply for what it literally is: a film.
The film sparked numerous discussions among the audience members - political comparisons, Mit Romney comments, religious terrorist comparisons, 9/11 observations, and questioned how it would affect people's views of the Mormon faith. While it was historically accurate in some ways, it is affirmed at the end of the movie that it has never been proved that Brigham Young was associated with the attacks and that John D. Lee was the only one ever punished for the massacre. Though the immigrants are clearly made the victims in the movie, the settlers' reasons to distrust them are not discounted completely. A lot of questions and conversations were raised over the film.
All in all, this film was worth seeing. The flaws created by the love story detract from the overall plot, but what it gives back in its emotional effects adds much more. The cinematography and editing were beautifully done. What you take away is really up to you, whether you see it as a love story, historical piece, attack on the Mormon faith, or simply for what it literally is: a film.