Coyote Waits (2003)

One of my all time favorites.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I liked this film since it had a nice blend of Navajo culture with mystery and suspense. Adam Beach, Wes Studi and Jimmy Herman did well in this as they do in all their films. Three other films where they also star in, "A Thief of Time", "Skinwalkers" and "Coyote Summer" all have interesting themes of how Native cultures blend in with mystery/suspense although one of them may not directly deal with cultural issues in itself. If I am not mistaken, at least 3 of the 4 films have to do with murder cases where Native cultures are widely portrayed in order to help find the people responsible for the murders. Another reason why I liked this one is because Alex Rice is in it. I'm a big fan of hers and I liked the role she played as lawyer Janet Pete. ANYWAYS.... this film along with the other 3 mentioned all go hand in hand. This is why I gave it a 7 out of 10.

As a longtime Tony Hillerman fan I looked forward to a better treatment of his Jim Chee novels than previous efforts. Visually Coyote Waits was very attractive but unfortunately was unable to impart the feel of the long lonely roads and the dry heat of the four corners region. The film was somewhat better at giving us a glimpse of Navajo culture, but unfortunately it was only a glimpse. In particular I missed the periods of silence and waiting we learned about in the books. Sure that's dead time in a visual medium, but that is important to the Navajo culture and the novels. The plot was very close to the novel, and the few concessions that were made were quite understandable. I hope we see more of Capt. Largo, Lt. Leaphorn and more insight into Officer Chee in future Hillerman treatments. All in all, worth a watch and certainly better than the formula mysteries we see regularly on broadcast TV.

While watching this movie, you follow two Navajo police officers as they uncover the truth behind a series of murders. This enjoyable, well acted, film keeps you guessing until the end. Due to the scenery, it is visually entertaining as it maintains a good story line. At the same time, the characters are full of life and emotion, but not so much as to overwhelm the mystery lurking beneath the story line. Adam Beech and Wes Studi both give good, believable performances. As this is an intelligent persons movie, I would recommend this film to people who do not need graphic violence or bad language to enjoy a film.

This was my first Hillerman experience. Maybe the slowness of the beginning is necessary, but I was wanting to check out. It got better towards the end with several interesting twists that I was glad I stayed for. I enjoyed seeing the area of the reservation (or 'rez' as they say in the movie) and hearing a bit of American Indian mythology and stories. No special effects, just good acting and a good story.