Danny Tejo and Native American Iconography

The Replacement Killers (1997) had 2 men working together as contract killers. One was the pock-marked, long-haired, vicious looking Danny Tejo. His role in the movie was as the titled replacement killer. He worked in tandem with a man who was clearly the "leader" of the two...who happened to be white.
It was mere minutes into their appearance that it was clear he was the back-up to the leader of the team. When they enter the airport it is the white man who has the combination and the Indian that plays look-out. The white man is always self-assured, knowledgeable, and in charge of the situation.
Tejo did an excellent job of playing a killer who enjoyed his work. His performance was enjoyable to watch but the codes were clear. Here was a cold-blooded killer who was nevertheless destined to be nothing but a follower. This was illustrated by the scene after his partner is killed.
All the Chinese gangsters are leaving to kill Chow Yun-Fat's family. He asks, somewhat plaintively, "What about me?" It is clear that had the white leader still been around the job description would have been clear. Tejo is dismissed with a peremptory, "You will stay here and do what you were paid to do."
Naturally, he dies near the climax of the movie. Ironically, it is when Chow sneaks up on him. The reason will be evident soon.
Other interesting features play into the movie. Mira Sorvino, who looks white (I have not bothered to check her actual ancestry) all but throws herself at Chow. All the codes we have been trained to expect mean romance are in effect.
He repeatedly saves her life, she willingly enters danger with him in an irrational action, she tells him she doesn't want him to leave...everything is built towards them taking the Hollywood Happily-ever-after train to the credits. Instead, he brushes back her hair, then walks away, leaving you with the feeling that you were cheated of the proper ending. If that were Tom Cruise, you know the big, sloppy kiss would have closed the flick.
I don't try to read racial overtones into things. In fact, I typically think those are overdone to the detriment of genuine discourse on the structures of United States society. However, this movie made it clear. All the codes were there: a woman flashing her bra and panties, a woman in danger (including at least twice when she is handcuffed), a woman who clearly demonstrates the Stockholm Complex, yet ultimately is left without even a kiss by a man who has a "mother and sister" but no justification for this rejection in the form of other family.
Contrast these things with Desert Heat (1999), a movie starring John Claude Van Damme. Well, V-Damme as the title character and the word "starring" probably don't make much sense...his best work was with Cyborg and Bloodsport. Since then he has born a closer resemblance to Johnny Cage...be that as it may, this movie has a much larger role for Tejo.
Tejo is the objective of V-Dammes journey. He is taking a '49 Indian motorcycle to Tejo, at which point he wants to ask Tejo's permission to die. Huge amounts of Native American iconography litter the early going. Phrases about coyotes and warriors, shacks in the desert, and other things echo United States perception of Native American existence.
On the journey V-Damme gets drunk and shot by some bad guys. Tejo finds him and nurses him back to health. The scene was quite illustrative of several codes within U.S. film making.
First, Tejo spends several minutes massaging V-Dammes foot as they talk. You will never see a white male massaging the foot of anyone else in Hollywood cinema. That is a role reserved for women and non-whites. Apparently no director is willing to override the code that says whites must always be in dominant roles while non-whites will always be found in somewhat subservient roles.
This is further illustrated by their separation. Tejo comments on Rhonda. That relationship is tangled. Both of them reference their long standing friendship yet it is just as clear that they will never be an item. No justification for this is given. The underlying theme is no white woman would marry an Indian. Furthermore, although both live in squalor, Rhonda owns a restaurant that has three employees while Tejo lives in a shack that looks like it is falling down around him.
After his comments he is told to stay at the cabin while the outnumbered V-Damme goes on a rampage. He wants to go but is told to stay so he does. Again, if that were Cruise told to stay...he would be alongside the hero. What is the difference? YOu don't have to think hard to figure it out.
Later in the movie Tejo sneaks up on V-Damme. He comments on how easy white men are to sneak up on. This is a very unfortunate line. It reinforces the idea that Native Americans have some mystical, animalistic ability to move silently and unseen to ambush whoever, whenever they want.
Furthermore, Tejo goes on to sacrifice himself so that V-Damme can escape. Remember, V-Damme came to get permission to kill himself. Why then would Tejo be the one to die? It was not necessary for a death to occur other than for an image in the final scene that equated Tejo with a coyote. Hardly a flattering image.
Before he gets himself killed, Tejo tells V-Damme there are a hundred reasons to die...you only need one to live. V-Damme should marry...Rhonda. The person whom, by rights, Tejo should have a relationship with.
Tejo is a phenomenally gifted actor. He can look vicious, friendly, or dangerous with subtle adjustments. Yet in two movies he is killed execution style. He is portrayed as inferior to the white actors and unworthy to be part of their culture.
Obviously I have a lot of thoughts on this but I think I am going to leave it here. I certainly think a lot of things defined as racist really are not. Some things, however, get passed by as not being racist because we don't pay attention to the codes. Look at the reading of these two films and you will get a feel for one reason whites in general and Hollywood in particular are frequently accused of racism.