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Skinwalkers

Skinwalkers

TV movie2002100 minMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Chris Eyre
Starring
Adam Beach, Wes Studi, Harrison Lowe, Saginaw Grant

Faced with the murder of three medicine men, Navajo police must find the culprit. That the murders appear to be the work of a Skinwalker, or bad medicine man, complicate and illuminate the detective's work.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Skinwalkers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Skinwalkers on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Skinwalkers?

Skinwalkers earns 3 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Skinwalkers worth watching?

Skinwalkers' Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 1.4K ratings across 4 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

81st percentile among Crime77th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)71st
Approval (how many liked it)85th

67 /100

71st percentile of all films

75th percentile among Crime70th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Crime83rd percentile among 2000s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 6 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

60th percentile

1.4K ratings across platforms

52nd percentile among Crime52nd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 83% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Dedicated to Tony Hillerman's characters and setting, but divergent from the books in character portrayal and cultural detail.

Fans praised

  • authentic depiction of Navajo culture and its internal conflicts
  • strong performances from Wes Studi and Adam Beach
  • engaging mystery with respectful cultural portrayal

Detractors panned

  • unfaithful characterizations of Leaphorn and Chee from the books
  • filmed in wrong locations, not on the Navajo Nation
  • actors butcher the Navajo language; lack of real Navajo actors

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

well-cast and authentic performances

AtmosphereDivisive65

somber and respectful but phoned-in locations

Plot and storyDivisive60

decent mystery but loses depth of novel

Dialogue60

adequate but not standout

CharactersDivisive55

Leaphorn and Chee simplified and stereotyped vs. books

PacingDivisive55

rushed; loses deliberative drama

EndingDivisive50

forced denouement not as exciting as novel

Originality50

derivative of Hillerman's books; standard TV mystery

Watch experience

What is Skinwalkers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseMelancholicContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its subject with gravity and respect, playing the investigation and cultural conflicts straight without irony or heightened style.
The rideThe film maintains a steady somber and tense mood, with emotional peaks in the later stages as the cancer subplot and murder investigation converge.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly as the detectives follow clues and encounter obstacles, with no reported non-linear or experimental structure.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's resolution of the murder and the unresolved cultural tensions leave the viewer pondering the balance between heritage and modernity, with a sense of melancholy from Emma's illness.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% (this title) · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

7% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTwo Navajo Tribal Police detectives investigate the murder of a medicine man, with evidence pointing to a mythical Skinwalker, blending police procedural with cultural mysticism.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9% (this title): Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% (this title) · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Society

Tradition vs change · 2% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the tension between Navajo tradition and modern assimilation through the investigation of a series of murders, while personal struggles with illness and heritage add depth.
StanceThe film observes and interrogates the tension between Navajo tradition and modernity through the perspectives of two detectives, without taking a clear celebratory or condemnatory stance.

The world

ContemporaryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernWorldSupportive music · original score · BC Smith
SettingThe Navajo Nation in the contemporary American Southwest.
MusicThe score incorporates Native American elements to ground the cultural setting.

Cast and crew

Who is in Skinwalkers?

Cast

Adam Beach
as Jim Chee
Wes Studi
as Lt. Joe Leaphorn
Harrison Lowe
as Roman George
Saginaw Grant
as Wilson Sam
Jon Proudstar
as Davis Nakai
Misty Upham
as Nina
Sheila Tousey
as Emma Leaphorn
Apesanahkwat
as Capt. Butler
Noah Watts
as Ruben Maze
Chris Eyre
as Tribal Judge Amadeus Pinto

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Skinwalkers?

The closest match to Skinwalkers is Newton's 3rd Law (2026); both are police procedurals.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Skinwalkers?

1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: police procedural. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.