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How others will see it. This lengthy epic won a slew of Oscars, including two biggies, Best Picture and Best Director. One that it deserved was for the cinematography, which is indeed often impressive.
The costumes are terrific, and the story is winning. At least one of the characters, Kicking Bird (Graham Greene) is splendidly cast. Overall, Dances with Wolves was quite a crowd pleaser, and built a reputation for Costner as an actor/director that he was unable to secure with subsequent films.
How I felt about it. Dances with Wolves is never a bore, and as a study in cinematography, it is interesting. The problem isn't with the basic story, but how it is presented.
Let's begin with Dunbar's attempt to get himself shot, which against all odds directly results in a Union battle victory. If Union troops surge the field, they will be slaughtered by the Confederate riflemen, whether or not Dunbar is on parade in front of them.
This brings us to the worst supporting character of the film, deranged Major Fambrough (Maury Chaykin). He commits a curious suicide just minutes after ordering Dunbar to distant Fort Sedgwick, and has the worst line in the film: "I've just pissed in my pants, and nobody can do anything about it." I suggest a dry cleaner.
The next curious and coincidental event has the whole staff of Fort Sedgwick deserting, from top to bottom, just prior to Dunbar's arrival. Dunbar is thus alone at his post, and has exciting adventures such as befriending a wolf, repairing the fort, and pulling dead animals out of the pond. His voiceovers become frequent, and his vaguely whiny voice belies the manly persona he tries to project.
And sillier it gets. A woman leaves her Indian tribe to kill herself. She is rescued by Costner, she lives, she is single, she speaks English, she is white, she falls for Costner (and why not? He's the director) and finds Perfect Love with him. Her casting is proof of the film's independent production. A major studio would have cast a star actress.
The writer apparently has it in for the Pawnee, the 'bad Indians' in the movie. A Pawnee brave enters a teepee full of cowering Sioux women and children, and a murderous gleam is in his eye. To the undoubted approval of the audience, he promptly receives an arrow in the back. That'll teach ya!
By this time, the Sioux have proved to be noble and wise. The Army soldiers are depicted as stupid, crude, and really bad shots. It must have taken twenty shots for them to pick off Costner's pet wolf. We are encouraged to shout, "Run, Two Socks!" The better exclamation is "Get on with it!"