American Mystery! Special: Skinwalkers (2002)

A Navaho Mystery

There were fair criticisms of this Mystery installment on PBS. All came from author Hillerman's fans, as Skinwalkers is one of his finest books in the series, full of atmosphere and Navaho tradition. Produced by Robert Redford on a PBS budget, this mystery featuring Navaho Tribal Police Officer Joe Leaphorn and the younger Jim Chee, struggling to find a balance between ancient tradition and modern ways, is actually very good if you can separate it from all the expectations from readers.

Redford's son James changed the story slightly and incorporated elements from other novels in the series. Vistas of the American Southwest and the way of life on the reservation lend atmosphere as Leaphorn (Wes Studi) and Chee (Adam Beach) look into a murder that initially points to a Skinwalker; part of ancient ways and legends Leaphorn has no use for, but Chee embraces. Chee is trying to become a Medicine Man while continuing his official duties, in fact, so is very receptive to ancient ways in this regard.

Leaphorn is trying to come to terms with his wife's illness and that relationship is wonderfully real thanks to Studi and Sheila Tousey, who portray's Emma. Chee's budding relationship with a young Navajo defense attorney named Janet, also marvelously acted by Alex Rice, shows the youth of Chee and his struggles with the old ways and the new. The personal struggles of the two very different men lend depth to an engaging mystery.

The crux of this involving mystery involves an error made by three medicine men years before that is coming back to haunt them, possibly quite literally. A shotgun blast into Chee's trailor and his visions that follow make for a perfect blend of police work and Navajo mystisism. A great personal loss by Chee and a resignation by Leaphorn that there may indeed be merit in the older Navaho ways frame a character driven and atmospheric mystery set in the world of the Navajo.

Those unfamiliar with Hillerman's mystery series will find this PBS film very entertaining. Viewed on its own merit, this is a mystery painted in raw and burnt siennas on a canvas perhaps too small to include every detail. It does, however, give a fine impression of a life unfamilar to most of us, and makes for a great mystery. August 31, 2008

Misinformed Writer

Hillerman does not know Navajo life and culture, and the plot is totally alein to Navajo people and culture. Those actors and actresses in the movie are not Navajos, do not act or look like Navajos, and the scenecry is not like Navajo land. This is a story about a fictive tribe and culture that exists in the minds of Hillerman and Redford. The Navajo Nation totally rejected this movie when it was shown to them, and that is why it was not filmed in Navajoland and does not use Navajo actors. March 5, 2006

Typical Hollywood mangling

Typical Hollywood mangling of a great book. Read the book instead. But the book is tougher on the reader than some other Hillerman books.

January 30, 2006

Skinwalkers

Skinwalkers is the first film featuring Native American police officers Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, who are responsible for officiating crime on a Navajo Reservation.

A Skinwalker is a sorcerer or witch that takes animal form, and commits terrible crimes, including murder. Traditionally, Navajos never say the word Skinwalker, for fear that a Skinwalker will take their life. Skinwalkers practice "bad medicine".

In Skinwalkers, a Native American Medicine Man (Healer) is found dead, his body surrounded by animal-like footprints, and his hand lacerated by a human-bone arrow, a traditional weapon of a Skinwalker.

Chee, struggling between his professionalism and traditional beliefs, feels the killer is a Skinwalker. Leaphorn, a city-reared Native American who's beginning to understand his Native roots, has no doubt the killer is a man who is hunting down Healers.

Together, Leaphorn and Chee seek to protect another Healer from the mysterious killer, and they slowly decrypt Navajo evidence that could lead to a ghostkiller or mankiller.

Skinwalkers weaves together thrilling Navajo folklore and art, mesmerizing copper-hued glowing landscapes, meditative musical lines, and harsh Native American reality - poverty, violence, anger, hurt, and an excruciatingly painful elimination of Native American tradition. October 8, 2005

Not Skinwalkers

Never have I seen such a good book turned into such a bad movie. Simply put, when compared to the book the movie was horrid. Leaphorn as a bumbling, ignorant around the fort Indian? Chee (Adam Beach was a good choice here) losing control of his emotions and pulling out his service pistol? Save your money on this one. August 11, 2005

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