Common Sense Media Review
Violent historical drama. Not for young kids.
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The Last of the Mohicans
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 13 parent reviews
Parents say this film showcases remarkable acting, storytelling, and cinematography, making it a standout for many viewers, though its depiction of violence and intense themes related to the French and Indian War might be unsettling for sensitive audiences. While some reviewers feel the film's violence is historically accurate and not overly graphic, others suggest it is more suitable for viewers aged 14 and older due to its emotional intensity and mature content.
- acting quality
- intense themes
- graphic violence
- suitable age
- historical accuracy
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 25 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Set during the French and Indian War, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS follows Colonel Edmund Munro's (Maurice Roëves) daughters Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May) as they travel to their father's post. When their party is ambushed, a group of fur trappers, led by Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), escorts the two women, and the sole surviving British officer. After the party arrives at the fort, things only get worse.
Is It Any Good?
Director Michael Mann turns James Fenimore Cooper's classic novel into a cinematically beautiful film. The Last of the Mohicans is visually engaging. Lush scenes of the frontier are punctuated by skirmishes, ambushes and battles. In keeping with the book that served as its basis, this movie has a pronounced tendency toward the melodramatic. Overall, though, the film is engaging and elegantly constructed.
The chemistry between Day-Lewis and Stowe is absolutely intoxicating and May does well as the more delicate younger Munro daughter. Younger viewers might find the film dull or difficult to follow. However, teens who enjoy romances may like the film, as might those with an interest in U.S. history.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the United States' colonial history and the French and Indian War. Issues of class are also ripe for discussion. The film seems to imply that the British are destined for failure because they refuse to protect the people living at the frontier. Hawkeye says that the reason people live in unprotected frontier lands is that these areas are the only place where land is available to poor people. How might his observation about the frontier apply to modern communities? What prompts Cora Munro to fight with her father about sending the militia to help protect frontier settlers?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 25, 1992
- On DVD or streaming : November 23, 1999
- Cast : Daniel Day-Lewis , Madeleine Stowe , Russell Means
- Director : Michael Mann
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Indigenous Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Western
- Run time : 125 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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