500 Nations

Kevin Costner's massive epic of pre-European North America and the coming of the conquistadors is a relatively dull if visually engaging affair. Politically correct to the point of reverence (and omission-Spanish brutalities to the Aztec are described in accusatory detail; the Aztecs' barbarous practice of human sacrifice is barely mentioned), the eight-hour mini-series is also notably humorless, and rather confusing at times (the opening hour jumps back and forth between a number of briefly noted peoples). Still, the encyclopedic nature of the production makes it a good reference source, and the high profile CBS airing ensures that people will be looking for it on video. But make no mistake: 500 Nations is to quality documentaries what reasonably good TV-movies are to great cinema: a world apart. (R. Pitman)