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Health & Fitness

Movie Review - Kon-Tiki

Movie Review - Kon-Tiki

Kon-Tiki *** (PG-13) I assume every school kid still learns about the daring adventure of Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl, who set sail from Peru to Polynesia in 1947 on a raft like the pre-Inca Peruvians might have built 1500 years earlier, to prove his radical theory that those Pacific islands were settled by explorers from South America, rather than Asia. The film covers his backstory, including his bold scientific motives, and difficulties in getting the trip financed. Everyone thought they knew he was wrong, and that his 5,000 mile trip would be suicidal. He who laughs last...

Knowing the outcome doesn’t keep this dramatization of the ordeal any less exciting or suspenseful. Despite little collective sailing experience, the six-man crew trusted their leader enough to do follow Heyerdahl’s orders. Only by restricting themselves to the ancient materials and methods could they prove that those people might have made the journey back then. No one could have predicted that DNA testing would come along several decades later to trace genetic origins in the comfort of laboratories.

The cinematography is superb, and part of the reason it earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Those who saw the allegorical fantasy Life of Pi last year may be tempted to make comparisons, since both involve overcoming extreme hardships in the middle of an ocean. Sure. An on-board tiger would have made this one scarier, but let’s not encourage sacrificing authenticity for cheap thrills. These guys were huge international heroes in their time, and deserve this homage to their courage and endurance.  With most of the running time spent on the raft with the crew, we feel their fears through sharing numerous moments of danger, from many types of threat to their physical and emotional survival. The epilog adds a nice dimension to this realistic tribute. (5/17/13)  

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