Some of the comments to this post embody everythin...

Some of the comments to this post embody everything you point out that is a hot mess about this movie. And you are completely on point about the way it gives people an excuse to feel good about themselves. I think some of the heated passionate defenses we've seen of this movie come out of a reaction to having that 'goodness' criticized. To me, it is similar to how Cassie Edward's native/white romance novels function-- as a "Mary Sue" which allows women to fantasize that they would have been supportive of or involved with Native communities (and their hot men!), as opposed to all those other unenlightened white folks who oppressed them.