Greetings again from the darkness. Sometimes the dramatization doesn't quite live up to the real thing. Thor Heyerdahl was a very interesting and interested man ... part scientist, part adventurer. We first see him as a fearless 7 year old. As an adult in 1947, his spirit and lust for life led him to undertake a 101 day trip aboard a self-built balsa wood raft. Why? Well to prove his theory that Peruvians settled in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times.
The film provides us shots in time as Thor does his research, prevents his findings, tries to sell the story, and finally undertakes the "suicide mission" to prove to the world. On the surface, the trip makes little sense. Thor can't swim and only one of his crew has any sailing experience. It makes for a thrilling trip and one which Thor actually filmed much of ... with the purpose of producing a documentary. The 1951 documentary won the Academy Award and also led to a best selling book.
This latest version, co-directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, was Norway's nomination for Best Foreign Language film last year. While the story is fascinating and Thor Heyerdahl is certainly an interesting man, the film just feels a bit empty. It does offer fantastic effects, but we just get teased with the true personalities of his crew. A bit more depth of character would have added an element that elevated this to elite status. Instead, it's very watchable and will probably inspire you to track down the book or the original documentary.
The film provides us shots in time as Thor does his research, prevents his findings, tries to sell the story, and finally undertakes the "suicide mission" to prove to the world. On the surface, the trip makes little sense. Thor can't swim and only one of his crew has any sailing experience. It makes for a thrilling trip and one which Thor actually filmed much of ... with the purpose of producing a documentary. The 1951 documentary won the Academy Award and also led to a best selling book.
This latest version, co-directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, was Norway's nomination for Best Foreign Language film last year. While the story is fascinating and Thor Heyerdahl is certainly an interesting man, the film just feels a bit empty. It does offer fantastic effects, but we just get teased with the true personalities of his crew. A bit more depth of character would have added an element that elevated this to elite status. Instead, it's very watchable and will probably inspire you to track down the book or the original documentary.