Okay, I realize Hollywood is Hollywood and it is normal for them to bend reality a little for the sake of their art. And I can suspend belief for a few hours when necessary ... after all a science fiction movie is fiction and a fairy tale is just that. But this film didn't "bend" reality so much as break it, throw it in the mud, then trample all over it and toss it in the trash.
I could fill at least one tightly spaced page with all the things that defy reason in this film but I'll try to limit myself to just a few. I have been to Alaska in the winter. I know people that have worked the oil fields. I know that in Alaska or Northern Canada you don't wander around in near white-out conditions, with the temps below zero, without COMPLETELY covering EVERY part of your body. You don't tramp around with your ears, nose, chin, etc. unprotected, and your coat only partially zipped up, as the survivors did when they left the plane.
The Neeson character is shown at the beginning of the film using a high-power rifle, which he carries in a distinctive case. After the plane crash he finds his rifle case and his broken rifle, but he also finds shot gun shells in the case. ???? He didn't even have a shot gun; why would he carry shot gun shells? We later find that they are a contrivance -- tossed in only to foist an completely unrealistic plot element on us. (I guarantee that using those shells the way the movie tried to would result in MAYBE 1 in 100 of them firing. I can explain why if you can't figure it out yourself) Again, the weather. After spending a night in a blizzard ... a night in which their fire goes out (at least there is no fire in the morning scene), at least two of the characters are shown waking up bare-headed, their coats partially unfastened and no sign of blankets but, miraculously, they are bright-eyed,almost chipper and ready to go after their hours long ordeal in sub-zero weather.
The wolves. What can you say about the wolves except that real wolves act NOTHING like those depicted in this movie. No real, wild wolf would go anywhere near fire the way these mutts do. Real wolves don't hunt humans over miles and miles of territory like the movies unless MAYBE ... PERHAPS ... they are near starved and ready to eat anything. Real wolves don't normally kill unless it's for food. And how did those wolves get down that massive cliff anyway? And how did they know in advance where the humans were going? They must have known since they were there waiting for them. If you want to know what real wolves act like, read Farley Mowat.
I didn't have time to try and enjoy this movie as art because every few moments My reason was assaulted with totally contrived, totally unrealistic plot elements. I kept finding myself shaking my head and telling myself, "That's not remotely close to reality." As I said, I could fill many lines with similar discrepancies. I wouldn't be so critical if this movie was marketed as a survival FANTASY, but it's not. It's presented as a straight forward survival movie with some attempts at mysticism and philosophy ad nauseum thrown in. Don't waste your time.
I could fill at least one tightly spaced page with all the things that defy reason in this film but I'll try to limit myself to just a few. I have been to Alaska in the winter. I know people that have worked the oil fields. I know that in Alaska or Northern Canada you don't wander around in near white-out conditions, with the temps below zero, without COMPLETELY covering EVERY part of your body. You don't tramp around with your ears, nose, chin, etc. unprotected, and your coat only partially zipped up, as the survivors did when they left the plane.
The Neeson character is shown at the beginning of the film using a high-power rifle, which he carries in a distinctive case. After the plane crash he finds his rifle case and his broken rifle, but he also finds shot gun shells in the case. ???? He didn't even have a shot gun; why would he carry shot gun shells? We later find that they are a contrivance -- tossed in only to foist an completely unrealistic plot element on us. (I guarantee that using those shells the way the movie tried to would result in MAYBE 1 in 100 of them firing. I can explain why if you can't figure it out yourself) Again, the weather. After spending a night in a blizzard ... a night in which their fire goes out (at least there is no fire in the morning scene), at least two of the characters are shown waking up bare-headed, their coats partially unfastened and no sign of blankets but, miraculously, they are bright-eyed,almost chipper and ready to go after their hours long ordeal in sub-zero weather.
The wolves. What can you say about the wolves except that real wolves act NOTHING like those depicted in this movie. No real, wild wolf would go anywhere near fire the way these mutts do. Real wolves don't hunt humans over miles and miles of territory like the movies unless MAYBE ... PERHAPS ... they are near starved and ready to eat anything. Real wolves don't normally kill unless it's for food. And how did those wolves get down that massive cliff anyway? And how did they know in advance where the humans were going? They must have known since they were there waiting for them. If you want to know what real wolves act like, read Farley Mowat.
I didn't have time to try and enjoy this movie as art because every few moments My reason was assaulted with totally contrived, totally unrealistic plot elements. I kept finding myself shaking my head and telling myself, "That's not remotely close to reality." As I said, I could fill many lines with similar discrepancies. I wouldn't be so critical if this movie was marketed as a survival FANTASY, but it's not. It's presented as a straight forward survival movie with some attempts at mysticism and philosophy ad nauseum thrown in. Don't waste your time.