This is How Movies Should Be Made

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I can remember first watching this series when I stumbled upon it one summer in 2001, and I became both fascinated and depressed with what this series presented. In fact, this series changed my perspective of the original Americans forever, seeing them as genuine humans with plenty of stories to tell and how they were respectful of the Earth we are standing on. What shocked me was the cruel treatment from the Europeans whether it was the attempted conversion to the treacherous methods of mass slaughter that obliterated many of the nations. The interviews with the real Native Americans further fascinated me with their cultural ways and perspectives on European conquest (except for those that did offer hospitality). Kevin Costner is a great host, perfect for the part from his Dances with Wolves work. He deserves a humanitarian award for mentioning the once great folk that walked the Americas and how they should be recognized and respected.

Being of Cherokee descent, I have a long-standing, fervent passion for Native American history. I only recently purchased the 500 Nations DVD set, which somehow I had managed to remain unaware of all these years. I loaded the first DVD of the set with the intention of viewing it in small bites; however, the program is so well-produced and so informative that I found myself unable to stop watching until I had watched every DVD, every chapter, every moment of the program. It is obvious that the producers really did their homework, striving to maintain a rarely experienced level of historic detail and accuracy.Anyone with an interest in Native American history should make it a point to get a copy of this program, which is a definite "keeper" for any good library of documentary videos. It is more than worthy of inclusion in any American history class, as it provides tremendous insight into a part of North America's history -- including the parts which are bloody, embarrassing stains which can never be washed from the hands of a nation.

This is the history of indigenous Americans my generation never learned in school: their rich cultures and spiritualities, the waxing and waning of economic and military powers of tribes, city-states, and empires, and the details of the barbarism of invading Anglos/Europeans. The CGI reconstructions of indigenous buildings and cities, the interviews with modern indigenous people, and readings from their ancestors' writing, breathes life into what could have been dry and tedious material. I've watched the first of this 4-disc series, and I'm already uncomfortable, knowing that my life in California is predicated on the genocide of those who were here first. But it's important to know the truth, however unpleasant.

I saw the series when it aired originally and I thought that it was an excellent documentary on the American Indians. I don't think it is boring at all, I think that it is an excellent history lesson for us all. The Native American history is not explored enough, that is why I am very pleased about the new Smithsonian museum opening next week. I believe this is a good supplement to our own history. The history of the Native Americans is not told enough or always correctly. I think this and the new museum will help educate the next generation. But of course this is just my opinion.