The Sunchaser

Michael Cimino really has no luck sometimes. Despite all his talents, the financial flops he's helmed over the years continue to overshadow all of his artistic triumphs. Most of materials on this film deal chiefy with the fact that it flopped disastrously at the box office and say little to nothing about the work itself. Most will probably write it off as a footnote in a once-powerful director's increasingly stagnant career, but a few will no doubt wonder 'What about the film itself? Does it really deserve obscurity?'As it turns out, the film itself functions as a fairly straightforward, yet impecabbly executed and never boring, road movie. Spirituality lies at the center of this offbeat film, which comes as a surprise for Cimino. Most of his films revolve around gritty realism and moral struggles that border on the Herculean, so for him to deal with this subject matter feels quite refreshing. The script, helmed by Charles Leavitt of "Blood Diamond" and "K-Pax" fame, never loses track of the central quest and keeps the film moving when it could have simply navel-gazed. Lastly, Cimino brings all of the natural grandeur and idiosyncratic melodrama that made him famous in the first place. He shoots the desert and mountain vistas as if they were the sublime incarnate or, more fittingly, the sacred spaces which the Navajo characters revere them as being.All in all, this film will probably only ever be truly appreciated by cinephiles. Still, one can only hope that more and more free-thinking aesthetes venture beyond "The Deer Hunter" and appreciate the beauty found in this film, as well as the rest of Cimino's collective works.

I loved every minute of this movie. It follows the life of a young Native American Indian man ( Jon Seda ) a prisoner who frees himself only to take a hostage ( Woody Harrelson ) on a journey that will offer him his freedom from jail life. This movie belongs to Seda...he's excellent all the way through. I could not take my eyes off him...he's that good. The story unfolds...slowly but surely...and by the end....both men have a change of life...and understand the true meaning of friendship. Highly recommended!

The word "Serendipity" is what would describe my relationship with this movie. I just happened to stumble upon it one night and thought it would be "typical" Woody. How wrong I was and how glad I am. I love this flick. What absolutely powerful performances by Mr. Harrelson and Jon Seda. Of course, I consider the cameo by Talisa Soto one of the best in American movie history (or her-story). Splendid, stunning intense and funny in a real-life sense, this movie is one of the great underrated and unexpectedly moving I have ever seen.

A very underrated movie. The acting is exceptional. Seda is a young incarcerated Native American who is dying but has a dream. Harrelson is a young doctor with a secret. Their lives are very different and they live by different rules but when they cross paths everything changes for both of them.

Awesome movie from the 90s, you gotta remember this came out in the 90s and not current times. The dialogue was correct for the times

I Love it. Many dont but I do. It's hard to get past the medicine man though. A bird? Seriously!? But I loved it anyway.

If you do not give this movie 5 stars, then you have lived a very sheltered life, without heartbreak, or you are just heartless. As a nurse who worked in hospice, it is a wonderful touching portrayal of a dying man's journey to his end. It is presented in such a way that you do not know what to expect next, even if you are experienced with the dying process. The storyline is unique, and the acting is great. What in the world can you find wrong with this movie? I am only disappointed Anne Bancroft's part is not bigger, and that it has not been released on DVD. It was also not publicized. If you have not given this movie a chance, or did not like it because Woody was not funny, reconsider....get a box of kleenex, grow up and realize that not everyone can live a charmed life...sometimes life is just sad, and if you can continue to look for the "medicine man", and look for the good in life....Blessed Be.....

The Acting was great.....The story could have been a little better.....The Music???? what in the heck was that music??? You cant run a story that is part native and play ordinary music!! The music is the basis for pulling you into a story...it enhances the action of a scene or emotion....The music that was playing was a disgrace....I like Marrice Jarres Music but NOT for this film....BAD choice! The beginning was a mess....a cop car transporting a prisoner and driving like crazy??....didn't get it. The whole thing was good as a concept but lost it in between parts....

Most under rated film..Of all time

I really enjoyed this movie. The plot is a bit predictable, but the acting by the principles (Jon Seda, and Woody Harrelson) is solid.

Comme toujours, Cimino soigne le scénario et les images.On apprécie ou non le scénario mais après J. Ford , on n'a pas fait mieux pour photographier Monument Valley et c°. la confrontation Science/ croyance et ses fluctuations sont intéressantes.

le début du film ne nous a pas du tout préparés à la suite ; mon mari et moi avons été "bluffés" par le jeu des deux protagonistes. Tout est parfait et les décors sont grandioses.Nous le regarderons de nouveau avec plaisir et le recommandons chaudement.

Même si ce film est loin d'être le meilleur de M.Cimino (problème technique ou manque de fond: avoir retourné en Hi8 pour remplacer une scène dans le désert et l'avoir "gonflé" en 35mm pas top!), le scenar bien que très noir et convenu nous prend malgré tout et on adhère ensuite sans problème à cette allégorie de la fin.