Without Arrows (2024)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Without Arrows attempts to provide viewers an in-depth look at the life of the Lakota people. Traversing the vast landscape that they call home–exploring their past, while looking toward the future. Directors Elizabeth Day and Jonathan Olshefski follow those on a unique journey, detailing their daily lives. 

Without Arrows is simply a case of “A day in the life of…,” and the lives that this particular group of Lakota live aren’t necessarily worthy of a feature-length documentary. Their lives are incredibly similar to the rest of the world’s. There’s little to no variety, presenting their experience with breakfast, caring for loved ones, etc. Without Arrows develops a simplistic rhythm that transcends its entirety–with little variation. By the twenty-minute mark, I found myself underwhelmed by the monotony of it all, as their lives differed from mine in only miniscule ways. Furthermore, Without Arrows was like watching a day on repeat, and a succinct, ten-minute film would have sufficed in telling these stories. 

Not to say that there aren’t variations, not to say that they don’t have their struggles–but Without Arrows is far too familiar, far too similar to the things that the majority of us face on a regular basis. It becomes far-too repetitive, and by the end I questioned whether or not this was a waste of time. 

There are moments in Without Arrows that evoke a sense of clarity, that allow viewers to look at themselves and analyze the struggles that they face on a daily basis. I think that’s ultimately the goal of the team behind this film–evoke some sort of emotion in this way. Without Arrows is successful in their venture, if this is, in fact, their goal. It’s clear the passion each of the showcased individuals possess, that while their lives are simple, often mirror images of the rest of the world, they care a great deal about their purpose. The focus on humanity, the constant reminder of the parallels between those on screen and the audience, heightens the film a degree–but it’s just not enough to raise Without Arrows to effective heights. 

When watching a documentary, I always have to ask myself whether or not this is a story worth telling, whether or not there will be a group of viewers who care enough about the subject matter to sit down for an extended period of time and absorb the information. In the case of Without Arrows, I’m not sure that the story warrants a film (certainly not a feature-length film). Films like Without Arrows have been done so many times before, leaving this documentary feeling derivative and redundant. When all is said and done, Without Arrows doesn’t feel like a film that needed to be made. 

Directed by Elizabeth Day & Jonathan Olshefski. 

Starring Kassi Phoenix Fiddler, Derek Fiddler, Perry “Lil Man” Crow, Delwin Fiddler, Delwin Fiddler Sr., etc

4.5/10 = WORTH WATCHING, BUT YOU’VE BEEN WARNED