The HBO adaptation of this book was on starting Memorial Day weekend. Overall, I wsa underwhelmed. The high point was great research on costume design. When Crow arrive at the Sioux camp in Canada, they are wearing pompadour hairstiles. The storyline diminished the grand and tragic end of the Plains Wars.
The opening sequence was confusing in having Arikara (we'd learn later) scouts attack a Sioux village. Was this some inter-tribal event? The camera pans up and we see hundred of people streaming towards something. Unfortunately, the CGI reminded me of the evolution sequence in Mission to Mars or a strategy PC game where nameless, faceless little warriors move at the command of the player. This turns out to be the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The scene shows a traditional Hollywood shot of group cavalry surrounded by encircling Indians, not the rout forensic archeologists have confirmed.
Sitting Bull is deconstructed to a vain, venal liar so that when he is killed, there's no sadness. Eve the penultimate massacre at Wounded Knee is soulless. Senator Dawes comes across as a patronizing sympapthizer who never fully understands the people for whom he is advocating. The interchangeble agents are alll equally condesceding and cruel. Wes Studi (Magua in Last of the Mohicans) is wasted as Wovoka, the shaman who introduces the Ghost Dance to the Sioux. He seems to be a cross between JIm Jones and Hitler, and more thana little bit crazy.
Charles Eastman, an assimilated Siuox who returns to the reservation as a doctor is the central character. He is conflicted by the clash bewteen his adopted culture and the culture of his native people. Even so, he is only margianally engaging.
The scene transitions were off putting as well, with a sepia toned close up of a character, not necessarily the central character to the upcoming scene, fading to a full studio style photo of the character.
Overall, I'd give this a C.

Yes it was good, but terrible subject!!!
Ron

Well, except for the U.S. uniforms, which suck. They all seem to be wearing the 1874 sack coat which was outdated, and irt would have been highly unlikely to se the, at Wounded Knee. The Cavalry wear Infantry uniforms too.

Pretty much standard Hollyweird.