10 War Movie Moments You'll Never Forget
7. Huron Ambush - The Last Of The Mohicans
Set during the Seven Years War and adapted from the 1826 novel by James Fenimore Cooper, Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans is an epic production and one of the most engrossing depictions of the late 18th century Americas. While to call it a war film would be to limit the scope of its focus (it's a great big romantic drama too), conflict does loom large over the story, as Great Britain and its colonies battle France for control over their American possessions.
The fighting saw both colonial powers forge alliances with different Native American tribes, and it is this particular aspect of the conflict that Mann renders most impressively. Focusing on a British company as they escort an officer's daughters to a nearby fort, accompanied by protagonist Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his fellow Mohicans Chingachgook (Russell Means) and Uncas (Eric Schweig), Mann slowly and then suddenly introduces a new threat waiting in the trees - a group of French-allied Huron, who proceed to ambush the group in brutal fashion.
The sequence is beautifully and authentically arranged by Mann, with the Huron picking off soldiers one by one and stoking confusion within the British ranks. This leads to a full ambush, captured with an iconic wide shot showing muskets firing on each side of the column.
The Last of the Mohicans cemented Mann's status as one of his generation's greatest and most versatile filmmakers, and this scene is arguably one of the best in his locker.