On Sacred Ground is a dramatization of the anti-DAPL, unfolding against the backdrop of the Standing Rock reservation protests that commenced in 2016. The movie centers around the protagonist, Dan McKinney, a psychologically and physically tormented army veteran grappling with the burdens of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) stemming from his service as a military journalist in Iraq. Strained by domestic discord and economic woes, he caught the interest of a big oil corporation eyeing the pipeline. Initially lured by financial desperation to write a favorable piece for a Houston newspaper, Dan's journey takes a profound turn when he begins to uncover discrepancies in the narratives fed to him by corporate interests. When he is later asked …show more content…
Yet, amidst these revelations, the film ventures into familiar tropes, notably the trope of the white savior embodied in Dan's intervention to save a Native woman, Mika, from military aggression. Furthermore, the portrayal of Native spiritualism as a cure for Dan's psychological wounds risks veering into cliché and oversimplification. Despite its thematic resonance, "On Sacred Ground" grapples with narrative missteps. Foremost among these is its decision to center the plot on a white protagonist rather than a Native counterpart. By relegating indigenous voices to secondary roles, the film inadvertently reinforces narratives of white heroism at the expense of authentic Native agency. Moreover, the film's portrayal of Native spiritual practices as a catalyst for Dan's redemption perpetuates stereotypes of Indigenous peoples as mystical and primitive, thus undercutting its intended message of solidarity and resistance. Lastly, like most films involving Natives, the conclusion featured dream-catchers and paintings of teepees, with flute music playing in the