---
title: "Pocahontas: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/pocahontas/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/pocahontas"
critics_score: 50
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Pocahontas (1995): what the critics said

Critics' score 50 from 8 reviews: 1 positive, 3 mixed, 4 negative.

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.

## Variety — Jeremy Gerard

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 June 1995. 

Gerard calls it a terrific movie, though he notes it may lack universal appeal. He praises its vivid animation and the appeal of Pocahontas and John Smith.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/pocahontas-2-1200441953/)

## RogerEbert.com

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page did not load, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review was accessible.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pocahontas-1995)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 23 June 1995. 

The page identifies this as a film review, but its text is inaccessible. The available information does not disclose the critic’s verdict or specific praise.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/23/movies/film-review-pocahontas-romantic-and-revisionist.html)

## Radio Times — Tom Hutchinson

Rating 3/5. 

Hutchinson finds the animation visually stunning but the history flimsy. He praises the film’s ecological and romantic messages, while calling its villain excessively over-the-top.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-1fjth1/pocahontas/)

## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 1995. 

Turan finds the film formulaic and less inspired than its Disney predecessors, though likely to delight children. He praises its gorgeous animation and sweeping, colorful vistas, while faulting its bland songs and half-hearted ending.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-06-16-ca-13656-story.html)

## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez

Rating 1.5/4. 23 April 2005. 

Gonzalez gives the film a sharply negative review, criticizing its condescending treatment of Native American life and folklore. He singles out Meeko as an appealing character amid the film’s romance and dialogue.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/pocahontas/)

## Time Out — BC

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 

The critic finds the film dramatically inert and its finale and songs unsatisfying. They nevertheless suggest it has enough going for it to soften that verdict.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/pocahontas)

## Empire — David Hepworth

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Hepworth gives the film a negative verdict, calling it the dullest Disney animation in years. He particularly criticizes its historical distortions and says the songs barely register.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/pocahontas-review/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/pocahontas.md