critics consensus

Geronimo: An American Legend fails to stir the soul, though its sweeping visuals and historical ambitions mark an intelligent change of pace for director Walter Hill. Read critic reviews

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Geronimo: An American Legend Photos

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Movie Info

Following the expansion of the United States into the Southwest, the Apache Indians are forced onto a reservation to live out their lives as lowly corn farmers. While many resign themselves to this fate, several Apache, including Geronimo (Wes Studi), refuse to go quietly. Hoping to quell a major rebellion, General Charles Crook (Gene Hackman) dispatches over 5,000 U.S. Cavalry soldiers, led by Lieutenant Charles Gatewood (Jason Patric), to hunt down Geronimo and his men.

Rating:

PG-13
Genre:

drama, history
Original Language:

English
Director:

Walter Hill
Release Date (Streaming):

Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA):

$18.4M
Runtime:

1h 55m
Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation
Sound Mix:

Surround

Cast & Crew

Wes Studi
Geronimo

Jason Patric
Lt. Charles Gatewood

Robert Duvall
Al Sieber

Gene Hackman
Brig. Gen. George Crook

Matt Damon
Lt. Britton Davis

Rodney A. Grant
Mangas

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Critic Reviews for Geronimo: An American Legend

All Critics (21) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (11)

Quote not available.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

James Berardinelli
ReelViews
A film of great beauty and considerable intelligence.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Quote not available.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

Louis Black
Austin Chronicle
Quote not available.

January 1, 1993 | Rating: D+ | Full Review…

Entertainment Weekly
Gerónimo attempts to combine the classical and the correct-with mixed results.

February 5, 2020 | Full Review…

Brian D. Johnson
Maclean's Magazine
It's Geronimo's rage against the inevitable which is the film's heartbeat and greatest strength.

October 31, 2018 | Full Review…

Ed Travis
Cinapse
A miscast Jason Patric tackles his role as a combination of a Brando impersonator and a guy who merely needs a nap.

June 2, 2018 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
Despite the film's visual and aural splendors, Geronimo fails to achieve its noble ambitions. Only a totally committed Western lover will be able to watch it without wanting, at times, to shout Geronimo and bail out.

May 22, 2018 | Full Review…

Malcolm Johnson
Hartford Courant
Superior western, mostly historically accurate. Directed by Walter Hill with strong cast.

November 1, 2008 | Rating: 5/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
Visually, action director Hill may be paying tribute to Ford's Westerns in the way he positions the chase and fight scenes against the panormaic vistas, but this Geronimo is curiously bland, neither absorbing nor stirring.

August 7, 2006 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
A gorgeously shot, fair-minded Western that honors Geronimo and the Apaches, but doesn't demonize the U.S. Cavalry. Vastly underrated and far superior to Dances With Wolves.

January 26, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4

Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily
Quote not available.

August 4, 2004 | Rating: 4/5

Linda Cook
Quad City Times (Davenport, IA)

View All Critic Reviews (21)

Audience Reviews for Geronimo: An American Legend

Jan 20, 2010

A bit crappy I'm afraid despite the all-star lineup. This one belongs in the lineup of ABC's After School Specials.

John B Super Reviewer
Oct 19, 2007

I can't quite put my finger on what it was about Walter Hill's, Geronimo: An American Legend, that kept this from being an exceptional film. With a cast made up of Wes Studi, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Jason Patric and Matt Damon, beautiful shots of the American Southwest and a fairly accurate interpretation of historical events, it came across as being just an okay flick. Maybe I was a bit disconcerted by some of the utterly horrible headgear...LOL

Moe E Super Reviewer
May 26, 2007

Geronimo was historically accurate and that they used Apache historians to assist. Geronimo shows alot of war and apaches killing white and mexican.

Steven V Super Reviewer