If you are interested in Native American culture, you should get The Mystic Warrior, which is based on the novel Hanta Yo by Ruth Beebe Hill. It is the story of a "Shirt Man" (Medicine Man) of the Mahto tribe of the Teton Sioux. The run time of this movie is 240 minutes, so be prepared for lots of entertainment. It has plenty of action, drama, mysticism, romance and adventure.

Ahbleza (Robert Beltran) was always different from the other boys and somewhat of a disappointment for his father. His father was a fierce warrior, but Ahbleza sought peace.

Ahbleza becomes joined with Tonweya (Rion Hunter) as brother friends at a young age. They share a vision quest and are jointly given a pipe of peace and brotherhood. The Shirt Man tells them that their bond will remain unbroken for as long as the pipe remains unbroken.

The Sacred White Buffalo appears to Ahbleza on a hunt. He cannot kill it. The Shirt Man tells him he has been chosen by the sacred animal. The Shirt Man begins teaching him the ways of the Shirt -- of peace.

But peace is not easy to achieve in a land being overrun by whites with guns and hostile neighboring tribes.

The Mystic Warrior is like a crash course in Sioux/Plains Indian culture. Boy! This movie is loaded with lifestyle, beliefs, customs, legends and mysticism of the Plains. It is a powerhouse of information.

The photography is awesome -- defined as "inspiring awe in the viewer." From the variety of techniques to the shadow/light play, it is a work of art. The special effects are dynamite. The visions are so impressive that you will feel the power of mysticism as you watch them. The black horse is amazing, although extremely haunting.

The writing is brilliant. It pulls you into the story and makes you care about and feel for the characters. I believe I felt every emotion possible while watching this movie.

All parts were extremely well-played. It was somewhat distracting to see a guy who has been an Asian in half or more of the martial arts movies now being one of the most prominent tribal members. I kept waiting for him to put the Kung Fu moves all over everybody. I am thinking that this is a fine example of an actor pigeonholing himself, but it is also rather disgraceful of the film industry to stick anybody and everybody in a film as a North American native. There are plenty of real Native Americans who need the work!

The Mystic Warrior is one of the best Native American movies ever made. It is a solid beginning reference for a student writing a report on the Plains Indian culture, in addition to being top-notch entertainment. (However, as with anything and everything Native American, there are select Native Americans that have issues with this movie and who will disagree with me on its value.)