Review The Movie The Bufallo Soldiers By Tom Willard (1997) (Movie Review Sample)

The “Buffalo Soldier” Review
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The “Buffalo Soldiers” Review
"Buffalo Soldiers” is a fictional book by Tom Willard tells the story of brave African American soldiers who devoted their lives to defend American interest. The book is one of the many fictional and historical books by Willard in his Black sabre Chronicles. In the introduction of “Buffalo Soldiers," Willard narrates the life of Augustus Sharp who survived death from buffalo stampede in 1866 and later survived slavery from the white masters (Willard, 1997, p.5). The Buffalo soldiers was a symbol used by Willard to represent the black African-American, who were a mix of freemen and former slave who joined the U.S cavalry army to fight the insurgent Indians, the evils of racism and extremism, Mexican criminals, and improve weather conditions.
Willard uses Augustus as his protagonist who earns respect among the buffalo soldiers. Augustus, he befriended by Indian enemies who accords him mutual respect. Augustus gets the respect from the Indians because of his dedicated and distinctive service in the cavalry army for thirty years where he even wins the respect of his fellow black soldiers, white master and gets administrative promotions (p. 56). In this light, Willard tries to show that regardless of the suffering that Augustus went through in the hands of the slave masters, he still could dedicate his life to his country and countrymen. Indeed it is ironical, that the blacks who were persecuted by the white slave masters could join the US cavalry army to fight and defend the country. I find the irony more interesting and insightful as it leaves me with one fundamental question; what motivated the African American to devote themselves to defending and protecting the white settlers who had tormented them?
The more the reader seek to answer the above question, the more the reader get interested in reading the book even more. True, the use of irony here is to keep the reader reading the book to understand what happened next. Willard tells of the life of Augustus and his wife Selona who goes through the life of hardship full of sacrifices while try to be good parents to their two sons amidst the hostile western frontier (p.387). It is interesting when Willard tells of how the buffalo soldiers endured the pains of the chilly Kansas plains, the hostile Texas desert conditions, and the mountainous terrain of New Mexico and Arizona (pp. 10-298). As a reader, I am taken aback to realize that the effort put by the buffalo soldiers to defend their country went unrecognized by the white settlers whose interest they were defending. The soldier is completely unnoticed let alone being appreciated for their effort.
The author wanted the reader to empathize with the buffalo soldiers and remember their contributions in the American redemption wars. For example, he portrays the white settlers as resentment the buffalo soldiers despite the continued fight against the rival Indiana and Mexicans. Opposite to what one would expect, the white settlers do not appreciate the buffalo soldiers for what they did to them. In fact, in a twist of events, Willard gives a remorseful presentation of unappreciative white settlers who never respect the African American soldier who helps American during the war. Ideally, if the Buffalo soldiers fought Indians, and the taunt, the white settler could have been humane enough to respect them and honor their effort. But Willard’s indication of the white’s prejudice tells of the how deeply racism was rooted in American during the 1869 period. For example, after a successful battle, Augustus suffers prejudice, hatred from the Texas Rangers and get threats from the Ku Klux Klan (p.256). The story of Augustus’s life and the suffering Augustus goes through in the hands of the white settlers even after defending them, leaves one begging for more answers on what kind of relationship existed between blacks and whites. Further, the life and suffering of Augustus reveal contemptuous attitude of the settlers who never appreciate the African Americans.
Fortunately, though, the “Buffalo Soldiers” story is an appreciation of the efforts of the African American soldiers in the national redemption. Willard’s fictional story about American war, reveals that it takes bravery and unity of all the citizens, whether Native Americans or African-American to fight and win battles. The redemption of the nation only happened after the African Americans joined the cavalry army. The cavalry army becomes so strong as a unit that they were able to fight both the hostile Indians and the Mexican bandits. As such, Buffalo soldiers is an indication that all the races are equal and that African American have value just as the Native American.
The tone used in the narration is a sympathetic tone which is meant to give tribute the brevity, sacrifice, and honor of African American soldiers. The author shows that anybody can go against all the odds to raise to highest ranks. For example, Augustus raises to the rank of major Sergeant in the cavalry military (p.188). Despite the resentments, hatred and racial prejudice, Augustus Sharps works so hard to become a senior military man who champions political redemption from the insurgent Indians, and the Mexican bandits. In fact, Augustus survives many adversities including near death by buffalo stampede. Additionally, the tone is useful to reveal how the 10th cavalry together with other former slaves approached the civil war in the Juan desert and proved how they fought for their freedom. Besides, the sympathetic tone is used to appreciate the black soldier who fought for their liberty from the white settlers who constantly prejudice them.
There are three fundamental themes that Willard teaches the reader through the “Buffalo Soldiers.” The first topic is impacts of unity to national security. For fighting the Indians and the Mexicans, the cavalry had to get the effort of the brave and selfless African Americans to win the war. Through unity and working for a common goal, the 10th cavalry military suppressed the enemy and liberated the country from the red Indies and agitated Mexicans.
The second theme is the racism. Racism is shown by the prejudice of the white settlers who enslave the blacks, discrimination against the former slaves who risk their lives protecting them. In fact, buffalo soldier manifest how low the white perceived the African American. According to the story, the life of young Augustus Sharps reveals how African American were subjected to extreme racial segregation. Even after fighting the civil war successfully, Augustus is still despised by the settlers. Ironically, the author tells of a nonracial and no revenging African American. The African Americans did not pay back for the suffering they went through in the hands of the white masters. In fact, this is why when the white settlers were confronted with insecurity from the Indian raids, the African Americans stands up for their masters. Unlike the expectation of many, the former slaves do not join...