‘Lakota Nation vs. United States’ review round-up: An ‘impossible to ignore’ and ‘visually dynamic’ fight for justice

Vincent Mandile
·5 min read
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On July 14, 2023, IFC Films released “Lakota Nation vs. United States” from directors Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli. The documentary has received rave reviews from critics, resulting in a perfect score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Featuring interviews with Indigenous citizens, the film chronicles how the Lakota Indians fight to reclaim control of the Black Hills, and investigates how the sacred land was stolen in violation of treaty agreements. Read our full review round-up below. 

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David Ehrlich of IndieWire writes, “A furious yet resiliently hopeful documentary about white America’s long and ongoing history of colonizing the Očeti Šakówin (along with the rest of this land’s indigenous people), Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli’s vital ‘Lakota Nation vs. United States’ doesn’t waste any of its 121 minutes, but it also boasts a number of moments that effectively squeeze the film’s entire perspective into a single unforgettable image.” Ehrlich adds, “Chief among them: The shot of some MAGA jackass at the foot of Mt. Rushmore as they greet anti-Trump protestors at the ex-president’s 2020 Independence Day event while dressed in an American flag t-shirt and holding a sign that simply reads “FUCK YOU.” After all, that succinct little phrase has essentially been the entire platform since America was first christened as such. At this rate, the Republican party will probably adopt it as its official slogan by 2028.”

Richard Propes of TheIndependentCritic.com praises the film, stating, “With Native poet Layli Long Soldier guiding us through her Oyate’s connection to the Black Hills and the remarkable lensing of Kevin Phillips immersing us in those same Black Hills, Lakota Nation becomes a riveting and impossible to ignore documentary that chronicles the Lakota Indians’ century-long quest to reclaim their sacred lands – the Black Hills – that was stolen by the U.S. government in violation of treaties. Co-directed by Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli, Lakota Nation vs. United States captures the myriad of ways that America has ignored its debt to indigenous communities and explores the ways to make it all right including, most notably, the ‘Land Back’ movement that has become a cry for social justice shouted by and on behalf of members of the Lakota Nation.”

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Jennifer Merin of AWFJ.org notes, “Anyone who’s remotely politically/socially conscious knows about the U.S. government’s heinous treatment of Native Americans and shameful misappropriation of indigenous lands, but this well researched deep dive into the Lakota people’s ongoing struggle to retain their treaty-protected rights to the Black Hills region of Wyoming is a revelation.” She adds, “Filmmakers Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli use current video and archival footage along with on camera testimonies from Lakota leaders and people of conscience who support the Lakota cause — including actor and activist Mark Ruffalo — to raise awareness of the egregious history of abuse and exploitation leading up to what is still a daily fight for the Lakota people.”

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter states, “’Lakota Nation vs. United States’ is a visually dynamic documentary, and it’s also one that delves into the power of language and how we use it. There are the voices of interview subjects — sensitive, piercing, anguished, hopeful — relating a generations-long fight for justice that goes to the core of American history and yet is barely discussed in classrooms. (Have you ever heard of the Dakota 38?) There’s the legalese of treaties the U.S. government signed with the tribes of the Great Plains and violated before the ink was dry — or as soon as gold was discovered in designated Indian territory.” Linden adds, “At the helm of the film, Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli (editor of ‘MLK/FBI’) interweave DP Kevin Phillips’ vibrant and sublime images of the natural world with the surreal Americana of tourist attractions where Custer’s Last Stand is reenacted. The directors move between intimately shot commentaries and a sharp curation of clips from TV news, cartoons bursting with cowboys-and-Indians stereotypes, and historical dramas, Hollywood-style. There’s a deliberate rhythm to Tomaselli’s editing that’s in sync with Long Soldier’s measured readings, as is Raven Chacon’s versatile, subtle score, sometimes propulsive, sometimes Satie-esque.”

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