Peter Weir's latest film follows a group of men from a Gulag to the Himalayas in what could have been a boring film about walking, but instead it's a inspired and heart-wrenching film about walking; okay and also survival and hope and all the qualities that make us human. What's not to love? Great visuals, solid acting, historical plausibility and many surprises along the way. Ed Harris is great as usual and Jim Sturgess holds his own with his best performance to date. Why this film came and went from the theaters baffles me. It's Peter Weir, the kind of director that everyone should know and should come out in droves to see, but maybe he'd not like that. I expect this film will find an audience on DVD and will become one of those forgotten classics someday. If you like films about survival and people going up against impossible odds, see this film. It's a wonderful movie. Grade: A
One tip and complaint: for some reason the film makers put up a slate at the beginning of the movie that pretty much gives away the result of the adventure. It doesn't ruin the movie but if you can fast-forward through this intro and get to the visuals, I'd do it. The slate isn't necessary and think it was a mistake to put it there.
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