I was extremely disappointed by this movie after reading the book which was loosely based on The Great Apache Expedition or the Fimbres Apache Expedition which began in Douglas, Arizona and then went on to the Sierra Madres in Mexico. In the novel the hero who writes down the story is a teenager, which makes much more sense for the part where he falls in love and marries the Apache girl. The female archaeologist falls in love with the younger Apache scout and this is why she chooses to stay in the Sierras with the wild Apaches. During the story a history of the war between the Mexican and the Apache people is covered as is the history of the war between the United States and the Apache people. This goes a long way to explain the actions of both the Mexican soldiers and the Apache warriors. All this is left out of the movie. Of course the cinematography of the movie and the actors do a credible job with the parts they are given, but again the writing leaves out the parts that made the novel so memorable. Just like the movie "the Wind Talkers" the director wants to make the movie more relevant to the white audience by making the white characters the center of the movie. Personally I would like to tell Hollywood to wake up, there is a large non white audience out there and this is the 21st Century not the 20th.
5 Reviews
The Wild Girl is Anything But **1/2
edwagreen8 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This story could have been told in about a half-hour.
In 1932 the Apaches have kidnapped a Mexican child and killed his mother. A group of diverse people join in the desperate hunt for the child. Sounds a little like the 1956 John Wayne in the memorable "The Searchers," but the '56 epic was a classic and this is not.
A female archaeologist, a photo-journalistic reporter and a wealthy man join in the hunt. While traveling, they are kidnapped themselves and brought to where the boy is. Their guides tell them that death waits for the men in the morning. Of course, the valet of the wealthy guy is hit by a rock and dies while he tells a story.
It appears that the young girl they found and were bringing back to the Apache has betrayed them. She dances with our journalist once and this is called marriage. Am sorry if I appear to exhibit cultural bias.
Our wealthy man also meets with tragedy here. How sad that his father now appreciates him in death.
Much more action was needed here. We needed to see the Mexican soldiers in action rather than talk a nasty game.
The ending at the exhibit is poignant but cliché.
The archaeologist's decision to stay with the Apaches so that she write her doctoral dissertation is memorable, but a little too sentimental to the average person. After all, our journalist loves her and he wonders what has become of her as the film ends.
Perhaps, the writer of this tale is telling us that the archaeologist is the wild girl and not the Apache young woman she helped to save and befriend.
In 1932 the Apaches have kidnapped a Mexican child and killed his mother. A group of diverse people join in the desperate hunt for the child. Sounds a little like the 1956 John Wayne in the memorable "The Searchers," but the '56 epic was a classic and this is not.
A female archaeologist, a photo-journalistic reporter and a wealthy man join in the hunt. While traveling, they are kidnapped themselves and brought to where the boy is. Their guides tell them that death waits for the men in the morning. Of course, the valet of the wealthy guy is hit by a rock and dies while he tells a story.
It appears that the young girl they found and were bringing back to the Apache has betrayed them. She dances with our journalist once and this is called marriage. Am sorry if I appear to exhibit cultural bias.
Our wealthy man also meets with tragedy here. How sad that his father now appreciates him in death.
Much more action was needed here. We needed to see the Mexican soldiers in action rather than talk a nasty game.
The ending at the exhibit is poignant but cliché.
The archaeologist's decision to stay with the Apaches so that she write her doctoral dissertation is memorable, but a little too sentimental to the average person. After all, our journalist loves her and he wonders what has become of her as the film ends.
Perhaps, the writer of this tale is telling us that the archaeologist is the wild girl and not the Apache young woman she helped to save and befriend.
Learning to enjoy a movie for what it was intended, entertainment!
combatodo1 December 2018
I come from a long and famous bloodline that settled this great nation. In fact, most of us, even when we don't know our ancestors, follow in their footsteps anyway. While others are critical because this movie did not follow the book...what movie does, I found it to be enjoyable to watch and the ending was pretty good. So, from an old warrior, US Marine named Boone, I wish to say, if you are looking for a light hearted B Movie that the whole family can watch...this is a good one!
VERY GOOD
jewelch30 March 2021
As a young man, Ned was part of an expedition to find and free a boy who was captured by the Apaches-using an Apache girl as ransom. Ned has photographed the girl, and her narrative combines with extracts from Ned diaries to tell a story that resonates years later, and that lays bare some of the harsh truths about the American presence in the West. Yes this was very good. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 3/30/2021.
decent
Kirpianuscus29 July 2023
I do not know the book inspiring this film. But, I admitt, the presence in cast of Graham Greene and Brian Austin Green, the nice performance of Andrew Gillies and the portrait of Tolley offered by Matthew Edison are reasonable motives to not be very critic about The Wild Girl proposing not a classic but pretty decent western, with some historical touch and sentimental scenes.
It is a comfortable film, not proposing life lessons, crowned but not bad last scene and inspiring a beautiful portrait of clash between cultures. And the young Lola tash is just inspired option for the Apach girl . So, a decent story, fair dialogues, some adventure, romance, maybe some good emotions.
It is a comfortable film, not proposing life lessons, crowned but not bad last scene and inspiring a beautiful portrait of clash between cultures. And the young Lola tash is just inspired option for the Apach girl . So, a decent story, fair dialogues, some adventure, romance, maybe some good emotions.
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