Deep Dive Disney: Wes Looks at Pocahontas

Hey, remember when this project was fun? That was nice. Anyway, welcome back to Deep Dive Disney and our look at the red-headed stepchild of the Disney Renaissance, Pocahontas. So, here’s the thing about this movie. When I started Deep Dive Disney, I promised that I would judge these films as presented without taking deviations from the source material into account. Well, that’s all well and good when the source material is fairy tales and legends but when the source material is actual history, things become a bit problematic and uncomfortable. Such is the case with this film where actual historical events are radically and insensitively altered beyond recognition to tell some generic story about star-crossed lovers. I’ll give it this, they did manage to fill all the roles of the native characters with actual native American actors. As much as I love Aladdin, I’ve met the blonde haired blue-eyed white woman they got to play Princess Jasmine so I’ll take the small victories where I can find them. I can’t exactly say the same about singing voices but you’ll never hear me complain about getting to hear Jim Cummings. Honestly, historical baggage aside, the biggest issue I had with this movie is simply that it wasn’t fun. Everything in this movie feels like it’s poorly trying to replicate something that was enjoyable or charming about previous films and ends up feeling hollow and manufactured as a result. Put away your history book’s people, you’re not going to need them as we discuss Dinsey’s Pocahonats. Have you ever seen that movie Avatar? It’s basically that except not in space. Okay, you probably want a little more than that. The year is 1607 and British settlers are headed to the New World in search of riches led by a ruthless man named Ratcliffe. Among the settlers is a man named John Smith. While Smith is heading for the new world in search of adventure, Ratcliffe wastes no time cutting down the trees and digging up the land in search of gold like some sort of Captain Planet villain. Meanwhile, Pocahontas, the young and free-spirited daughter of the chief of the Powhatan tribe is questioning her path in life, especially after her father decrees she is to marry a man with the personality of an exceptionally uninteresting coffee table. When the settlers arrive, the curious Pocahontas has a chance meeting with John Smith and they end up falling in love despite their two peoples inching ever closer to the brink of war. I really just want to get this one over with so lets just bite the bullet and talk about Pocahontas.

Main Character:

Remember how I said that the film feels like it’s poorly trying to replicate the more successful films that came before it? Likewise, Pocahontas feels like an amalgam of several of the Disney princesses who have come before her. She’s curious and adventurous like Ariel, strong-willed and capable like Jasmine and like Belle, she’s kind, intelligent and different from the other people in her village. These are all admirable traits, but the issue is that since they all seem to be traits borrowed from other characters it can be difficult to pinpoint Pocahontas’s actual personality. She’s not a bad character per se. Irene Bedard plays the character very well and damn, Judy Kuhn can sing, but Pocahontas herself just doesn’t feel very original or interesting. Pocahontas’s arc is that of trying to find her own path instead of following the one that her tribe expects her too. A nice sentiment but not exactly anything groundbreaking for Disney at this point. So, we may as well address the elephant in the room. In the year 1607, when the film takes place, the real-life Pocahontas would have been eleven years old. I believe I speak on behalf of all reading this when I say, YIKES! That means, the entire movie John Smith was making out with an eleven-year-old child whose own father was trying to marry her off. Excuse me, I need a shower.

Villain:

Before we discuss Ratcliffe, I feel that we should mention that, much like Cogsworth from Beauty & The Beast, Governor Ratcliffe is voiced by the incredibly talented David Ogden Stiers. Also like Cogsworth, Ratcliffe is another character who was initially offered to Patrick Stewart. Take a shot! While Pocahontas was at least a likable character despite the deeply unsettling implications created by the age of her real-life counterpart. Ratcliffe on the other hand was just lame. Again, he feels like an amalgamation of past Disney villains with absolutely none of the traits that made those characters charming or interesting. Described as a pathetic social climber, all Ratcliffe seems to be interested in is the acquisition of riches to improve his social standing back in England. When he doesn’t find any gold, he becomes consumed with the idea that the natives are hiding it for themselves leading him to push for war. While he can be intimidating, he’s ultimately a pathetic fool trying desperately to cling to whatever social standing he has. Not the weakest villain we’ve had, but definitely not one worth remembering.

Side Characters:

It’s worth noting that two of the British colonists are voiced by Billy Connolly and a very young Christian Bale. The Christian Bale character gets kind of an interesting arc and Billy Conolly is always entertaining but other than that, nothing worth discussing.

I actually kind of enjoyed the Chief Powhatan character. He comes across as a much more competent version of the Sultan from Aladdin. He’s stern, a firm believer in tradition and will not abide a threat to his people, but at the end of the day, all he really wants is to see his daughter happy.

Grandmother Willow the talking tree was an okay character but I felt very uncomfortable with the fact that the wise tree spirit that the Native people seek for council is voiced by a white woman, the same white woman who plays Hetty on NCIS Los Angeles as it happens.

Then, there’s John Smith. There’s a lot to unpack here with Mr. Smith. I imagine the conversation went a little something like this. One Disney executive said, “Hey, this movie is going to be a big hit. We’re going to need our leading man to be a big-name celebrity who’s well-liked by everyone and has no controversial views or skeletons in his closet. I got it, MEL GIBSON!” Yes indeed, the Passion of the Douche himself, Mr. Mel Gibson plays John Smith. Combine that the fact that he spends most of the movie macking on an eleven-year-old and the character just becomes all the more unsettling. I’m well aware that in 1995, as far as John or Jane Q. Public was concerned, Mel Gibson was just another Hollywood heartthrob and we were all blissfully unaware that he was a racist lunatic. Those were simpler times. It may or may not surprise you to learn that the historical John Smith did not have any sort of amorous connection with Pocahontas. He was indeed part of the Jamestown Colony and his leadership proved invaluable in helping the colony survive. He met often with the Powhatan leaders and in all likelihood knew or was at least aware of Pocahontas, but any romantic connection between the two is a complete fabrication. Actually, as it turns out, the real John Smith was known for often exaggerating the truth so for all we know this whole ridiculous story was just some wild sea story that Smith told that someone wrote down and some exceptionally dumb Disney executive chose to believe. As for John Smith in the film, he seems like a nice guy at first glance, but it’s also made clear that he’s killed Indians in the past. This means that at best, John Smith is a liar who exaggerated his past deeds of heroism much like his historical counterpart, or at worse, a mass murderer who only chose not to kill Pocahontas because she was attractive. By the way, in case you haven’t forgotten, SHE’S ELEVEN!!

Songs:

Okay, I can’t front, these songs are great. Just Around the River Bend is a fun number and one of the more unique takes on a Disney Princess “I Want More” song. I like that it’s not just about wanting to escape her situation but about the greater importance of taking risks.

Colors of the Wind is an absolutely beautiful and visually stunning number. It’s a standard “love each other and love nature” song, but it’s so beautifully performed and fun to listen to that I don’t care. Frankly, in this film, it felt like an oasis in a desert of shit.

And finally, there’s the fan favorite number, Savages, the song sung when tension between the two sides reaches a fever pitch and war seems like the only option. It’s a pretty exciting and intense songs and by God, the animation is phenomenal during this whole sequence. If I had one complaint, the lyrics are so on the nose that that nose may as well be bleeding. I’m not saying the song is bad, but a line like “they’re not like you and me which means they must be evil” has about as much subtlety as Brock Lesnar wielding a buster sword riding into battle on the back of a wooly mammoth.

Memorable Scenes:

I’ll be honest, I came dangerously close to skipping this section entirely. However, there was one scene I actually sort of enjoyed. While Pocahontas and John Smith are getting to know one another, Smith describes London to her and while it sounds mundane to him, it sounds amazing to Pocahontas. I’ve always been a sucker for scenes like this where people from two different cultures just get together and talk about their differences in a meaningful way.

Story:

The message here is a pretty heavy handed one of how the path of hatred leads to ruin and the path of love leads to salvation. It’s a good message and certainly one that a lot of people need to hear, especially in this day and age and I actually rather enjoyed the Chief’s speech once he sees that Pocahontas truly seems to love John Smith and realizes that violence is not his path. It’s a nice sentiment to be sure but it kind of gets buried under all this film’s baggage.

There isn't too much dark stuff to address here, at least nothing that can top John Smith sucking face with a girl who's barely hit double digits, so we'll skip our customary final section and head right to the wrap up so we can get this turkey finished.

Final Thoughts: Oh boy, this was not a good one people. When it wasn't uncomfortable and wildly historically inaccurate, it was simply uninteresting and derivative of much better films. It's beautifully animated with great use of color, the actors all do their jobs well and all the music is beautiful, but sadly those bright spots don't come together to make an entertaining whole. Needless to say, this was not the critical and financial success to follow-up The Lion King that Disney was hoping it would be. However, 1995 was not over yet and a new player was about to enter the game to give Disney one of its most celebrated films of all time, a film that would change the world of animation forever. Join me next time when this project becomes fun once again as Deep Dive Disney looks at Toy Story.