untitled

Whitney 2022-06-27 16:58:58

meek's cutoff

The rhythm in the front is slow, making people a little sleepy, and it stops abruptly in the back, making people a little resentful. But the overall picture quality is great, and the composition is also nice.

The story takes place during the westward movement, when residents of the eastern United States migrated to the west. Three families, and a hired guide named meek, get lost on their way west and encounter an Indian. In the vast desert, civilized etiquette, rules and regulations have been blurred, the boundaries of life and death have been emphasized, and a group of people are facing the unknown and the fear of death. The audience of the whole film can easily be brought into the perspective of the three English-speaking families such as Emily. They are civilized and emotional, and their emotions seem to be biased towards them, while the Indians speak a language that the audience does not understand, and gesture that they cannot understand , the audience was as bewildered and frightened as the three families, and also entered a state of despair.

Meek seems to be a bad guy character in the film, but if you understand it deeply, you can also understand that as a guide, what he has experienced before is uncivilized savage human beings, his world is violence, sacrifice, blood donation, struggle, he has Obligation to warn of risks.

Different positions, different perspectives, but it may bring about different endings, water or death. But the life and death of the Indians cannot be easily decided because of the risks. The scene of Emily and Meek raising a gun shows the tenacity and kindness of women, as well as the cherishing and understanding of life.

Throughout the entire film, the preconceived idea in my mind is that when we, as long-standing civilizations, interact with the natives, the fear of harm prevails, and the civilization seems to blur. But it never disappeared in my heart. Instead, it was a sharp ruler, a ruler that could measure life and death. With civilization, you mistakenly think that you can punish barbarism. Was the whole westward movement a guide of fate, or was it a violent act of barbarians who thought they were in control of civilization?

View more about Meek's Cutoff reviews

Extended Reading

Meek's Cutoff quotes

  • Emily Tetherow: You don't know much about women, do you Stephen Meek?

    Stephen Meek: Well, I, I know somethin' or other.

    Emily Tetherow: If you say so.

    Stephen Meek: Well, I know women are different from men. I know that much. Well, I'll tell you the difference if you care to hear.

    Emily Tetherow: I don't doubt you will.

    Stephen Meek: Women, women are created on the principle of chaos. The chaos of creation, disorder, bringing new things into the world. Men are created on the principle of destruction. It's like cleansing, ordering, destruction.

  • [last lines]

    Stephen Meek: I'm taking my orders from you now, Mr. Tetherow. Miss Tetherow. And we're all taking our orders from him, I'd say.

    [about the Indian walking ahead]

    Stephen Meek: We're all just playing our parts now. This was written long before we got here. I'm at your command.