Dunbar's Journey: Dances with Wolves - Costner's Unsung Directorial Debut??

Okay so, I've been diving HARD into filmographies lately (as usual!), and I finally got around to Dances with Wolves. I know, I know, super late to the party. But honestly, I was pleasantly suprised. I went in expecting some really dated Western revisionism, but honestly? It holds up pretty well. I mean, yeah, there's some 'white savior' stuff you can definitely unpack, but Costner's direction felt surprisingly nuanced, particularly in the quieter moments. Speaking of, Costner's directing is what really got me thinking. I had no idea this was his directorial debut! I'm genuinely curious what everyone else thinks about Dances with Wolves in Costner's whole filmography. It's so different from his other work as a director (like The Postman which... well, we don't talk about The Postman). The pacing is confident, the landscapes are gorgeous, and he gets great performances out of everyone, even the buffalo! Was this just lightning in a bottle or does he have a consistent vision as a director that's just masked by some… questionable choices? There's one shot in particular that sticks with me: when Dunbar first sees the herd of buffalo, and the camera just lingers on him, almost overwhelmed by the sight. It really sells his growing respect for the land and the Lakota. Wonder how much of that was actually in the script vs Costner's vision. So yeah, I'm looking to spark some discussion. How does Dances with Wolves stack up against other Westerns by directors known for visual storytelling? And, maybe more importantly, has anyone else been lowkey impressed by Costner’s direction on this? Let's hear your thoughts! Maybe I am just missing something huge here too!