The reviews split almost evenly, and the critics’ score lands in the middle as a result. Where they agree is on the look of the film: the animation is praised in nearly every review, with the wide, coloured landscapes singled out even by critics who care for little else. Variety goes furthest, calling it a terrific film while conceding it may not appeal to everyone, and several note that children will be happy enough.
The reservations gather around the songs, which most critics find bland or forgettable, and the ending, which more than one calls half-hearted. The history troubles several: Radio Times finds it flimsy, Empire calls it distorted, and Slant, writing a decade later, objects to its condescending handling of Native American life. Empire is the harshest, naming it the dullest Disney animation in years. The spread is wide, from warm approval to dismissal, with the mixed verdicts leaning towards disappointment: pretty to look at, thin underneath.