33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (2025)

The 1992 movie The Last of the Mohicans, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, is still regarded by many as the best Western war movie of all time, more than three decades after its original release. Meanwhile, Irish-British actor Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most celebrated actors in history. Day-Lewis is the only actor to win three Best Actor Academy Awards, for his roles in My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007), and Lincoln (2012). He has also received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for movies, including In The Name of the Father (1993) and Phantom Thread (2017).

In the early stages of his career, Day-Lewis starred in the Western war movie The Last of the Mohicans, also one of Michael Mann's best movies, for which he served as director. Based on the 1826 novel by James Fenimore Cooper, the movie received a highly positive reception from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $143 million at the worldwide box office. With a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Last of the Mohicans is one of Daniel Day-Lewis' career-defining movies and is still considered one of the best Westerns ever, 33 years after its release.

Daniel Day-Lewis' The Last Of The Mohicans Is Still The Greatest Western War Movie Ever

Day-Lewis Stars As Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe In The Last Of The Mohicans

In The Last of the Mohicans, Daniel Day-Lewis plays Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Poe, the European-raised, adoptive member of the Mohican Indigenous American tribe. Amid the French-Indian war, the Mohicans rescue a British Major and the daughters of a British colonel from captivity and agree to lead them to a fort where the colonel is waiting. The Last of the Mohicans was released to universal acclaim, with many considering it the best adaptation of Cooper's novel and critics calling the movie "a worthy successor to the Randolph Scott version" released in 1936 (via Roger Ebert).

More than three decades after its release in theaters, The Last of the Mohicans is still considered the greatest Western war movie ever made, with many critics praising its cinematography, soundtrack, and story depicting an excellent blend of romance, drama, and tragedy. The movie's final war sequence is viewed by many as a cinematic masterpiece and a defining aspect of Michael Mann's directing career (via Collider). Among other accolades, The Last of the Mohicans won two BAFTA Awards and remains the only Michael Mann-directed movie to win an Oscar, winning Best Sound in 1993.

Is The Last Of The Mohicans A True Western Movie?

The Film Gives A Different Visual Perspective Of The Western Genre

33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (1)

For its release, The Last of the Mohicans was marketed as a historical drama as opposed to a Western movie. Unlike other, more traditional Western movies, The Last of the Mohicans distances itself from the characteristic rivalry between cowboys and indigenous Americans and instead, focuses on the latter population being forced to choose alignments with foreign countries (via American Battlefields Trust). The movie is also mainly set in the wilderness, as opposed to the saloons and ranches used in many Westerns.

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However, the movie remains true to the Western themes of adventure and action through its harrowing depiction of the French-Indian War. The Last of the Mohicans received praise for its historical accuracy through its setting, costumes, and use of historically accurate languages (via Los Angeles Times). It also showcases Daniel Day-Lewis' method acting, as he spent a month in the wilderness, learning how to hunt and fight to accurately portray Hawkeye. However, The Last of the Mohicans' graphic and accurate depiction of historical war makes it a true Western and still stands out in Daniel Day-Lewis' career.

Sources: Roger Ebert, Collider, American Battlefields Trust, Los Angeles Times

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The Last of the Mohicans

R

Action

Adventure

Drama

Release Date
September 25, 1992

Runtime
112 Minutes

Director
Michael Mann

Writers
James Fenimore Cooper, John L. Balderston, Paul Perez

Cast

  • 33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (4)

    Daniel Day-Lewis

  • 33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (5)

    Madeleine Stowe

  • 33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (6)

    Russel Means

  • 33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (7)

The Last of the Mohicans is a 1992 historical drama directed by Michael Mann. Set during the French and Indian War, the film follows Hawkeye, a European-raised adoptive son of a Mohican man, as he navigates the complexities of colonial conflicts and personal relationships. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, the movie intertwines themes of love, loyalty, and survival against the backdrop of early American frontier life.

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33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (8)

33 Years Later, This Daniel Day-Lewis Movie With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes Is Still The Best Western War Movie Of All Time (2025)

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