Jungle (15.)
Directed by Greg McLean.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Alex Russell, Joel Jackson and Thomas Kretschmann. 113 mins.
This is story of special people, the people who demand more, the people you see in adverts for range rovers and Jeeps. For them getting up, eating food, going to work, doing a bit of reading or watching TV with maybe a nice cold drink just isn't enough: for them life is nothing unless they are getting frostbite, walking across deserts without water, or risking imminent death at vertiginous heights. Dullards really.
In 1981, in Peru, three backpackers and a “guide” go into the amazon jungle in search of adventure but find instead a desperate fight for survival. The first hour of this based on a true story is perfectly fine. As long as the gang is together the shifting group dynamics keep it interesting. Radcliffe does a terrific job with the accent. Granted, it did take me around 15 minutes to work out exactly what accent he was doing, (it's Israeli) but there is barely a syllable out of place and in the few moments of voice over you would never believe it him
The problems start when the movie becomes Radcliffe lost and alone in the jungle. Much like 127 Hours, the film cannot deal with its chosen subject, isolation, so fills in the time between shots of extreme physical deprivation with flashbacks and hallucinations. This rather undermines the drama of his struggle for survival but as his struggle for survival is him staggering around the jungle half crazed and totally starved, it does break up the monotony a bit.
Directed by Greg McLean.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Alex Russell, Joel Jackson and Thomas Kretschmann. 113 mins.
This is story of special people, the people who demand more, the people you see in adverts for range rovers and Jeeps. For them getting up, eating food, going to work, doing a bit of reading or watching TV with maybe a nice cold drink just isn't enough: for them life is nothing unless they are getting frostbite, walking across deserts without water, or risking imminent death at vertiginous heights. Dullards really.
In 1981, in Peru, three backpackers and a “guide” go into the amazon jungle in search of adventure but find instead a desperate fight for survival. The first hour of this based on a true story is perfectly fine. As long as the gang is together the shifting group dynamics keep it interesting. Radcliffe does a terrific job with the accent. Granted, it did take me around 15 minutes to work out exactly what accent he was doing, (it's Israeli) but there is barely a syllable out of place and in the few moments of voice over you would never believe it him
The problems start when the movie becomes Radcliffe lost and alone in the jungle. Much like 127 Hours, the film cannot deal with its chosen subject, isolation, so fills in the time between shots of extreme physical deprivation with flashbacks and hallucinations. This rather undermines the drama of his struggle for survival but as his struggle for survival is him staggering around the jungle half crazed and totally starved, it does break up the monotony a bit.
