Pocahontas 1995
I remember seeing this movie at the theaters when it came out and thinking it was good, though of course not as good as the peak that was hit with Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Watching again many years later, I think the problem is the lack of a good story. It is so straightforward and simple that it is hard to get excited about. Plus it is hard to ignore that in reality the story is largely embellished and ultimately ends tragically for Pocahontas and all of the Native Americans. I like that the Native Americans are portrayed with sensitivity (making up some for Peter Pan) and there are some good messages at work, but not much new ground is broken. There are a couple of good songs at least. Otherwise this is Disney at its most formulaic, though I still wouldn't say it is a bad movie.
Written: 11 Mar 2024