The graceful-brutal Native American sport of lacrosse earns a generic but winning sports drama treatment in “Crooked Arrows,” a film about a tribal team that rediscovers “The Creator’s Game” while battling New York prep schools on the field.

Set in the reservation world of upstate New York — “Frozen River” country — “Crooked Arrows” packs platititudes about heritage, pride and stewardship of the land into a standard-issue underdogs-rally-their-way-into-the-big-game tale.

Brandon Routh, at his most charming but a long way from “Superman Returns,” is Joe Logan, a slick, educated member of the Sunaquat tribe who isn’t shy about donning a stereotypical headdress to please the paying patrons at the Lucky Indian Casino. He runs the place, slapping backs and working the crowd.

“Win some wampum, ladies?”

But if he wants to do his developer-boss’s bidding and greatly expand the casino, he’s got to appease the tribal council. He’s got to prove he’s not “Joe Money, pimping out his people.” He must undertake a spirit quest. His father (Gil Birmingham) decrees that to get that expansion deal, Joe, a former lacrosse star, must take over the high school’s hapless lacrosse team.

“Return to the Creator’s game. Restore pride to our people.”

That’s the last thing he’s interested in. But eventually, Joe has to park the sports car, hang up the Blackberry and take an interest in the kids who can’t seem to get out of their own way.

Chelsea Ricketts plays Nadie, Joe’s sister, passionate about lacrosse even if there is no girl’s team at their school. Assorted teammates and would-be beaus flirt with Nadie, joke around, hog the ball and find ways to loose games.

But what gets Joe to take this whole spirit quest thing seriously is the ex-girlfriend teacher (Crystal Allen), a blond single-mom who took a job in the reservation school because of her love for the culture that the tribe seems to have lost.

Director Steve Rash, whose greatest glory came with “The Buddy Holly Story” back in the ’70s, handles the overly-familiar sports movie cliches well enough. He’s better at the movie’s corny injections of Native American ethos.

Dennis Ambriz plays a tribal elder who teaches Joe in punchy platitudes.

“We often give our enemies the means to our own defeat.” “The truth may sleep, but never dies.”

And there’s this chestnut about this gang of “crooked arrows” — Each one is different. None are perfect. But as long as it follows its own path, it will find its way.”

Even with some well-shot and well-scored (Brian Ralston wrote some epic music for it) flashbacks, showing “the Creator’s Game/The Medicine Game” (it heals) as it was played before Columbus showed up, there is nothing here we haven’t seen before. And if you can’t guess where these “Crooked Arrows” are going, you aren’t getting out enough.

But Routh is wonderfully light and laid back here, perhaps thanks to the low stakes this tiny film has. The other kids are cute, and it’s refreshing to see a look at tribal life that doesn’t focus on crime, alcoholism and poverty. And it’s about time lacrosse earned the same sports-movie treatment as boxing, baseball, football and hockey. In this movie, at least, ESPN shows up to cover the “big game.”

MPAA Rating:PG-13 for some suggestive references

Cast: Brandon Routh, Chelsea Ricketts, Gil Birmingham, Crystal Allen

Credits:Directed by Steve Rash, written by Todd Baird and Brad Riddell. A Freestyle release.

Running time: 1:44