Title: The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Genre: Action / Adventure / Drama

Director: Michael Mann

Music by: Randy Edelman, Trevor Jones

Logline: A family of three trappers are tasked to escort the daughters of a British colonel to safety, while he is at war with the French and the Native Americans.

From beginning to end, The Last of the Mohicans is a series of impactful sequences, making it extremely difficult to choose one that stands out. The film's main theme plays in numerous scenes, in various versions. Towards the end, the theme plays under the waterfall, when Hawkeye realizes that they need to surrender Cora and Alice so that they can save them afterwards. Before he jumps through the waterfall's torrential waters, he grabs Cora tight, looks her in the eyes and emphatically says:

“[…] You stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you! No matter how long it takes, no matter how far. I will find you!”

Later on, the not so likeable Major Heyward becomes the unlikely hero sacrificing himself, and Magua and his small army lead Cora and Alice to the top of a steep cliff. Running to their rescue, Hawkeye, his brother Uncas and their father Chingachgook, ferociously take out everyone who stands in their way.

The film's theme powerfully accompanies tragic moments, such as when Uncas, arrives first, only to suffer a horrible death in Magua's hands, defending his love, Alice. Having lost him, and not knowing that help is coming, like from an ancient Greek tragedy, Alice jumps to her own death with Cora watching. Minutes later, Chingachgook arrives at the scene, unleashing an unfathomable rage in his excruciating pain, brutally slaughtering Magua.

The Last of the Mohicans has not aged a day and, in my humble opinion, remains one of the most remarkable period films ever made.

P.S. Michael Mann is also responsible for one of the most intense cop thrillers ever made, Heat (1995)

KayGazPro 20-4-2023