Visitors Review

(2012-05-26 06:33)

How far are you willing to go for freedom?

I've since learned that the novel this is based on has been brought into question; it's author, like so many others, having been caught embellishing or even outright making up events that never happened. This brought back flashbacks of Charriére's "Papillon" and my rose-colored-shattering introduction to the world of artistic storytelling and filmmaking.It's a hurdle all true movie fans must overcome. A maturation and learning process to appreciate the variety of dramatic biographies like Papillon, which I now presume much, if not all, of the details have been juiced; giving the audience something stronger to engage with and in. I never think, "Oh yeah, this is exactly how it happened." It's foolish and naive. Films are inherently fictional depictions - like paintings - it's what the artist perceives, not what's necessarily there.So goes 'The Way Back' - an incredible journey of human survival and endurance. Telling the tale of seven individuals who escaped one of the thousands of unimaginably horrific communist 'gulag' prisons, crossing the frozen Siberian Tundra, the Mongolian Desert, the western wastelands of China, and finally humped over the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet into Free India. A truly epic and jaw-dropping 4,000 mile journey - all on foot with no supplies and only the threadbare lice-infested rags they were issued in the gulag.Would this be more palatable if it were completely true? Of course. But the story that's being told is very moving and deeply felt, regardless. Additionally, you can never go wrong when Ed Harris is in the cast. This coming from a reviewer who can't stand the man in real life - even I appreciate that he's one of the finest actors of my generation. He never fails to deliver and this is no exception. He's so good in so many things it's hard to add to superlatives without succumbing to redundancy. Suffice to say - he's absolutely great... again.Saoirse Ronan is really laying the groundwork that will propel her to unimaginable heights. I've watched her career and skill level exceed every expectation in every production. While talking heads and bloggers were commenting on Lindsay Lohan this and Dakota Fanning that - I've put my all chips on Ronan as becoming the premiere leading actress of her generation.An amazing production and one that reminds me of another "lost" HBO film titled "Gulag" (1985). If you have a chance to get a clean copy of this powerhouse drama - do it. If only to properly witness the terrible suffering that so many millions of victimized people went through during Communist rule.

(2012-05-26 04:02)

An inspirational tale of physical & spiritual endurance

I first came across THE LONG WALK - and the controversy about its veracity - several years ago on Radio 4. So when I heard Peter Weir was basing a film on the story I knew I'd have to see it - even if I've waited till DVD.The result is an engaging and visually impressive, if ultimately flawed, work. The most striking thing is its cinematography. It's no wonder that THE WAY BACK was part funded by National Geographic. There are some beautiful landscape shots photographed by Russell Boyd, with director Weir referencing everything from LAWRENCE OF ARABIA to his own GALLIPOLI. It's not just landscapes, however - elsewhere there are other striking images, such as the snow masks cut from wood.It's also an exhausting film. The pace is often elegiac and as the characters walk from Siberia to India, this viewer felt worn to her joints (especially in the gruelling desert scene). It's hard to imagine that human beings could endure such privitations. The result is deeply absorbing; I felt drawn into the narrativeNevertheless, the film does have its faults. Ed Harris and Jim Sturgess are both watchable but the supporting cast are not well drawn enough. I didn't even know their names, a problem exacerbated by their physical similarities. I also felt the film was let down by the ending which is weak and rather unsatisfying. The result of these criticisms is that THE WAY BACK isn't as emotional as it should be.That aside, this is an inspirational tale of physical and spiritual endurance; one to watch when you feel like getting away from the rat-race, or are in quiet and reflective mood.

ccthemovieman-1 (2012-05-21 18:48)

Grim, But Beautiful

Having read several books about escapes from Siberia, I was interestedin seeing one of them put on screen. I say this because the film is abit slow in a number of parts so it helps to have a great interest inthe subject matter. The film isn't boring - at least, to me - but I cansee some people seeing it that way, especially if you're used totoday's action movies.The scenery is magnificent and some of the shots by director Peter Weirare jaw-dropping. This is Weir's first film since the 2003 "Master AndCommander: The Far Side Of The World." The man does quality work.Ed Harris one of the few, if not only, actors in here whose English youcan clearly understand, so it's a good idea to play this DVD withsubtitles. You get a fair of amount of subtitles with the Russiancharacters, anyway, but none are distracting from the scenery or story.The characters and acting in here are good, too.If this subject matter interests you, find the book, "As Far As My FeetWill Carry Me," about a one-man escape from a Siberian Labor Campfollowing WWII.

NY Writer (2012-05-21 09:43)

solid family fare

Dialogue was the only weak leak in this well told story. The usual cliches: bad guys on the hunt, music welling at the same places, death; mighty and violent wasn't predictable in The Way Back. Use of natural or no sound was great. This movie also showed me how much I've missed Colin Farrell and how understatement leads to loud acting from veterans like Ed Harris (though the weak script affected his character most, perhaps). I've been a Jim Sturgess fan since his Beatles days and Saoirse Ronan is growing well into her future star status. As great as some of the cinematography was, I wanted more ... couldn't see the edges of the landscape as was the case in visual masterpieces such as the Lord of the Rings. The Way Back won't be a blockbuster; thank the Lord, but it definitely cured my stomach which has been churning with weak January fare; especially The Green Hornet. If you're struggling with the economy, a relationship, or just having a bad day, go. It's a great story with rich history, well acted and directed ... with a message from the gates of the Cold War that you'll be thinking about deeply on The Way Back to your warm home.

(2012-05-20 21:37)

very good movie

This review is from: The Way Back (DVD) Great political movie with personal stories of fortitude, perseverance, and humanity. Another indictment of soviet deception and brutality. Excellent cinematography. Ed Harris was superb as usual. I liked the other actors in this movie also. Good feel of the Siberian forests. Well done.

altriasellscancer (2012-05-20 17:35)

Amazing journey but did this really happen?

It is amazing that this group of people walked so far, first throughSiberia during winter, then the Gobi desert, and finally the Himalayas.And the things they had to eat and drink along the way to survive likemuddy water. I felt the part about crossing the Himalayas was rushed atthe end. The movie spent so much time showing their travels in Siberiaand the desert, but so little time showing how they crossed theHimalayas. It would seem to me that crossing the Himalayas would'vebeen the most difficult part. This movie could've easily been stretchedout to 2.5 hours.The movie claims to be inspired by real events, but there seems to bequestions about whether the book it was based on was accurate. Also,the cover photo for this movie shows Colin Farrel with the desert inthe background. Ahh ... this is extremely misleading because(**SPOILER**) his character was only in the first half of the movie andnever actually made it to the desert.

gradyharp (2012-05-20 14:13)

Die Free or Live as a Prisoner

THE WAY BACK is a discovery: there are some themes of films such as thebleak one this title suggests that we too often avoid, think that thereis only so much that can be expressed or processed in a long stretch ofa prolonged escape. Nothing could be further from the truth in the caseof this film. It begins in 1940 'when seven prisoners attempt theimpossible: escape from a brutal Siberian gulag. Thus begins atreacherous 4,500-mile trek to freedom across the world's mostmerciless landscapes. They have little food and few supplies. Theydon't know or trust each other. But together, they must withstandnature at its most extreme. Their humanity is further tested when theymeet a teenage runaway who begs to join them on their quest. Acompelling testament to the human spirit, this gripping wildernessadventure is Peter Weir at his hypnotic best', as one critic from theTelluride Festival phrased it. The screenplay by Peter Weir and Keith R. Clarke is based on theSlavomir Rawicz novel "The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek toFreedom" and despite the controversy about the facts as portrayed inthis film, this is a human versus nature drama that quietly explodeswith an intensity that is at times nearly unbearable, while at othertimes extraordinary in the manner it shows how men survive the mostimpossible obstacles. From the beginning of the film in a Soviet Gulagthe escapees include a Polish political prisoner Janusz (Jim Sturgess),a Russian criminal Valka (Colin Farrell), and American Mr. Smith (EdHarris) who was caught working in Moscow when war broke out, and Zoran(Dragos Bucur), Tomasz (Alexandru Potocean), Kasik (SebastianUrzendowsky) and Voss (Gustaf Skarsgård). During their 4500 mile acrossthe Gulag, Siberia, the deserts of Mongolia, the Himalayas in China andinto India they encounter a young girl Irena (Saorise Ronan, in anincredibly sophisticated performance), also escaping the Soviet Union,and she becomes part of the survival team. The well-written script allows the human element in all its forms torise out of the struggle with Nature and thanks to Peter Weir's astutedirection and the incredible cinematography of Russell Boyd the epic isa deeply moving tale. Grady Harp

(2012-05-20 02:07)

Director Peter Weir is in his personal element once again

I won't wade into the controversy regarding the facts behind the story of this film. Just how true the story is and to whom it actually occurred won't be my focus. I'll write about the filmmaking itself. Peter Weir's entire career has been focused on this singular theme, man at battle with his environment. From the early day of "Picnic at Hanging Rock" to "The Mosquito Coast", "The Truman Show" and "Master and Commander"... the same theme dominates his expression as a filmmaker. "The Way Back" was the perfect vehicle for him to explore this territory once again. He gets to film everything from wintry landscapes of Siberia, the deserts of Mongolia, to the Himalaya in China and even a little of India.The cinematography is suitably sumptuous but in no way artificially gorgeous. There is bleakness as well as beauty in the images. The story and characters take second place to the forces of nature. This might be the lethal ingredient to many viewers and their potential engagement with this film. The main character Janusz has a back story and a character arc, but the others are fuzzily sketched. The talents of Ed Harris are mostly wasted but I suppose it's better to have him more in the background instead of how Harris typically dominates his movies with his shouting and lapses into anger. I thought Colin Farrell was miscast as a Russian criminal who provides a bit of comic mischief but the young Saoirse Ronan makes an impression as the lost young girl.The main message of this film apart from the man versus nature dynamic is the idea that it's better to die a free man than live as a prisoner. Imagine having a sentence in one of those Siberian prisons. Making a break for it even with the high chance of death is preferable in my mind to a dull life of drudgery in this far off prison. Better to die in an icy forest or the rain starved desert die than working in a coal mine against your will. I wouldn't rank "The Way Back" as one of Peter Weir's best films but it's a respectable effort nonetheless, more worthy of a cinemagoer's time and money than a lot of content in theatrical release right now.

(2012-05-17 00:13)

Not perfect, but a magnificent epic nonetheless.

It is easy to quibble with Peter Weir's "The Way Back." We get only thumbnail sketches, not portraits, of the lead characters, and the portion of their journey that you'd think would be the most spectacular--the trek across the Himalayas from Tibet to India--is swallowed up in a single jump cut. And don't even mention the Russian documents that cast considerable doubt on the truthfulness of the movie's source material.Yet for all that, I regard "The Way Back" as a four-and-a-half-star movie, and I'm happy to kick in the extra half-star to give it the highest rating. This is because "The Way Back" has what very few movies give you--grandeur. And grandeur that is not just scenic, but moral. The film depicts a place that was literally hell on earth--the Gulag under Stalin--and the resilience of the human spirit under the worst conceivable conditions. So what if the story isn't factual? It tells human truths we all know in our bones, and demonstrates once again how the desire for freedom can survive any form of oppression.As in his most recent film, "Master and Commander," Weir in "The Way Back" depicts human figures in a landscape too vast to contemplate--in this case, the forests of Siberia and the deserts of Mongolia. In both films, nature is bigger than people, but the very humanity of people is what allows them--some of them, anyway--to endure and triumph. Russell Boyd's photography is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and the performances of Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell and Saoirse Ronan are unforgettably vivid. (The others, unfortunately, tend to fade.) I can't help but feel that the late David Lean would approve of this film, which is the highest compliment for any film that aspires to be an epic. You might scratch your head at some of the choices Weir makes, but the main impression you will take away from "The Way Back" is the splendor of the human spirit.

(2012-05-16 06:46)

Painful - I'd rather be at the dentist

I loved the book, but this movie was painfully slow. The suspense of the book was not present. So muck talent, but the movie did not live up to my expectations. Wonderful performances, but either the director and/or the editor failed miserably.

Jeffrey (2012-05-15 13:36)

Good movie that could have been better

I'm a huge Peter Weir fan so there's no chance I was going to miss this film. Once again Weir delivers. Although not his best film, The Way Back is definitely worth seeing. The story is captivating and the scenery is simply stunning. I liked it much more than other seriously overrated films such as Black Swan, True Grit, and The King's Speech (all of which failed greatly to measure up to their hype). There's just something missing in this movie and I can't quite put my finger on it, but it should have had a little more emotion. Usually these types of human endeavor stories are more gut wrenching emotional, but this one just kind of plods along. Nevertheless it is well worth the money as you don't get bored, you care about the characters, and the scenery is simply beautiful

robbierunciman-1 (2012-05-15 05:57)

awesome scenery

I enjoyed the film, though agreed with other reviewers that it couldhave been better edited. The main thing I loved about this movie wasthe way that it showed the brutality of the Stalin regime and how bigevents have an impact on real people. Those who died nameless andunremembered and unmourned deaths were 'rescued' by this film. I likedway its showed there was respect but clearly not friendship between themen - but who could not communicate with each other about themselves.The saddest part of the story was the young girl who joined them on thetrek and died before reaching safety and the critical role she playedholding the group together. Colin Farrel was good and his role neatlyillustrated the hold that Stalin has on the Russian people, who nomatter how abused - still saw him as a hero. It reminds us behind thenumbers of deaths that occurred in WW2 there were real people with realstories, just like us, who had to endure much worse than those in thewest and did not enjoy a peace dividend.I loved the scenes in Siberia with the flies (midges in Scotland andMossies in Spain always find me and I know how they felt).The great trick that the director pulled off was the subtly contrastthe claustrophobia of the camp and the work parties with the epicdistances and landscape that they had to cross to reach safety.

(2012-05-12 22:41)

Don't waste your time

For anyone who has read "The Long Walk" and was anxiously looking forward to this movie, you'll be terribly disappointed. There is not enough time or space to detail the failures of the movie and quite frankly I would rather put it out of my mind as soon as possible.

(2012-05-12 19:58)

Not every great story is suitable for a movie

It is said that every Holocaust survivor has a story, this is surely true for gulag survivors too. This is a story of several people in the gulag who escaped and marched from Siberia to India. How true is the story, I cannot comment! Although I am sure something like it, probably did happen.It movie clearly shows a tough trip going through some extremely difficult places to travel Mongolia, the Gobi desert, Tibet and the Himalayas, which are dangerous for even fit, well equipped and experienced travelers. Most of these group of people in the movie were lucky to survive. A few did not make it. Almost all of this film is the story of their march. The filming is very good, some of the nature scenes are very good. The acting I found a bit wooden, although I did like Ed Harris's performance. My complaint is I found it monotonous in parts. They walk almost at death's door and walk almost at death's door and walk almost at death's door, etc., etc. A film needs excitement, and I did not find it in much of the march.

(2012-05-11 21:08)

An Oscar shoe in gets Oscar's boot...

Watching `The Way Back' the other night, I found myself baffled that it wasn't wholly embraced by The Academy. I know that the Oscar campaign was basically nonexistent, and that itself makes me scratch my head, but the buzz surrounding this film and the big names attached (Ed Harris, Peter Weir, Colin Farrell) should have caught the attention of Academy voters, not to mention the fact that the subject matter is Oscar bait personified. In the beginning of the Oscar year, 2010, I was certain that `The Way Back' was going to nab nominations for Picture, Director, Screenplay and a win for Ed Harris. None of that happened.Now that I've seen the film, I confidently feel that Jim Sturgess would have become an Oscar nominee had this film received a better campaign.`The Way Back' pertains to a journey a group of POW escapees make from a Siberian labor camp on through the Himalayas and into India during the 1940's. The group is a multinational group, led by a Polish prisoner, Janusz, who was turned over by his wife after being accused of being a political spy. The group grows and then narrows as stragglers tag along and members die off, but in the end this powerful story of survival will rest heavily on your heart. But, maybe it is the allegations surrounding the film's authenticity (of the story's authenticity I should say) that caused it to fare poorly with Oscar. Being toted for so long as an actual occurrence, the source material for the film (`The Long Walk', written by Slawomir Rawicz) has been proven falsified. So, with claims as being `inspired by actual events', `The Way Back' could be seen as unfathomable and misleading. That is no fault of the film, which was filmed with such precise forethought. Weir now considers this a mainly fictional work, and seen as such the film really can be appreciated for what it is.Earnest and intelligent. The performances here are collectively great. Colin Farrell is outstanding, proving once again that he has more than one trick and can pull off nearly anything thrown his way. Ed Harris is somber and controlled. I love a subtle performer, but I often find Harris more `dull' than subtle. Here he balances his performance to feel authenticated and natural. I just LOVE Saoirse Ronan and think that she is going to continue to slay every performance she gives. She is just impeccable. Jim Sturgess really blew me away. He is a young and fairly unknown actor and yet he commanded the screen and really took the reins of this performance and steered the film where he wanted it to go. His emotional connection, accent work and physical demeanor were perfection. Like I said, a better campaign and he would have easily taken Jeff Bridges' nomination.In the end, the film isn't without fault. Like some critics have mentioned, the film feels slightly cold at times, and the film can seem rather endless despite the fact that the running time is barely over two hours. Because of the films subject, it can seem slightly redundant, but I felt that Weir combated that with interesting character development and nicely placed dialog that helped keep you interested in what you were watching. The final scene is heartbreaking, if not a tad clichéd, and it works well; although I kind of hated the collage of `information' leading up to it; especially with the feet walking all over the screen.Despite the fact that the event depicted in this film most likely DIDN'T happen, this is still a heroic tale that is wonderfully acted and sharply directed and certainly a MUST SEE for everyone.

(2012-05-11 08:55)

Beautiful looking attempt at filming "The Long Walk"

For such a grueling, horrific story, this is beautifully filmed, from the snow storms of Siberia to the empty dust of the Gobi to the lush green mass of India. Start with one of the classics of survival/adventure literature The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom: Movie Tie-In (available in countless different editions) and add in some reasonably big (and good) actors, the stunning cinematography, and it should all work. Well, it sort of does work, but I knew the book pretty well, and was willing to forgive a lot of unevenness. Neither in the book nor the movie do you really learn much about the escapees, and in the film that seems to work against it.Anyway, epic in looks, but uneven. I'd say worth seeing, but if it does catch your eye, do read the The Long Walk and check out Looking for Mr. Smith: The Quest for the Truth Behind The Long Walk, the Greatest Survival Story Ever Told which is the best look at the truth, or the lies, behind the book and the walk. It's all a fascinating tale.

lordoflepra (2012-05-10 11:20)

A story proved to be a fraud. But a beautiful film anyway.

Good movie, even though its a bit false to claim that its based on atrue story. Because its not. The Polish soldier Slavomir Rawicz wasindeed arrested and sent to a camp in Siberia, but not for espionagebut for murdering a Russian NKVD officer. He was set free in 1942because of a general amnesty issued by the Soviet authorities andjoined General Anders polish army stationed in Russia in the waragainst the Nazis. The so called autobiography written by SlavomirRawicz was believed by many to be true, until the former newscorrespondent Tim Whewell presented the results of his thoroughresearch in the BBC radio documentary "Walking the talk?".A polish soldier that got a ridiculously low sentence for murder, whowas then released by the Soviet authorities and sent back to his polisharmy that fought alongside the Soviet Red Army against the Nazis. Thereyou have it! To say that the true story takes the edge of thisfictional movie is an understatement. But well worth seeing because ofthe nice filming of different landscapes and environments.Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6098218.stm

T1 Brit (2012-05-09 13:21)

This film blew my mind

I have seen all the great films - and this one is right up there withthem. No exaggeration, this film really did leave me stunned. ColinFarrell is surprising as a Russian street thug - he has really done hisbackground and it shows. The young girl Saoirse Ronan is alsosurprising. I was half expecting some kind of conventional Hollywoodrole for her - but not at all. There is one scene in which she willleave tears in the eyes of even the most hard-bitten viewer. Ed Harrisis very understated and real as the American, and the lead characterJim Sturgess is completely convincing. The scenery and the way it isshot however, is probably the most awesome and unforgettable part ofthe whole.. Except for the ending, which is maybe the best I have everseen. Incredible story. Incredible film.

anonymous (2012-05-08 19:53)

Victory is Faith.

Amazing Film! The actors were magnificent! Accents and all... I LOVED it! Impressive, unique, and new! This film is worth watching, it is raw, fresh, and deeply well put together. I was impressed with the writer, the history, the culture and the transition throughout the movies journey. The cinematography was so real unlike any other hollywood glamourized films out there. This movie draws you in and leads to the end of the movie feeling like you were part of that journey, too. It makes you realize that regardless of the obstacles these characters underwent throughtout their journey, they proved their justice and made the impossible cometrue with faith... Wow! It had an impact on me... Oscar! Oscar! Oscar Award all the way!!!!!!!!

zvg-1 (2012-05-08 02:51)

A Soviet Schindler's List

This film tells two stories. The literal one involves a group of Gulagescapees that cross the whole Eurasian continent in order to escapefrom Russian oppression. The scenery is amazing, the acting is solid, but, as it has alreadybeen noted in other reviews, the action isn't driven by dialogue. Atfirst glance it could seem that some of the characters lack depth, itcould seem that the supporting characters lack complexity and historythat is so needed for emotional attachment.But to achieve full understanding of the film, some knowledge of thehistory of Europe is mandatory. When the metaphor provided by theliteral storyline is understood, the characters light up in acompletely different light. Suddenly the unrealistically long andhazardous trip takes the revealing shape of the 50-year-long Europeangenocide, repressions, suffering and struggle for independence; astruggle that has been wrongfully forgotten by many in the West.Thank you for telling our story.