Benutzerrezensionen

Movie was a little entertaining, but nothing new in it.

So... guy who travels... so he travels... and??? NOTHING MORE!!! come on, he does not even makes a lovable character at the end of the movie, in the end you get more interested in other characters - what happened to them, not in him.

I didn't even get the idea - what did director wanted to tell us... I guess nothing. Would not watch this movie again, but still if you have nothing to do you could rent it, but I would not recommend you to go and see it in cinema, just not good enough.

So I give this movie 5 stars - mediocre. Not bad, but definitely not great also.

I recently saw this at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Fesitval. Director/writer Thomas Whelan led a delegation from the film including co-writer Brian LaBelle and actors Christopher Masterson, Angelika Baran and Shalim Ortiz for an audience Q&A after the film. The audience at my screening seemed to really like this adventure-romance tale. Connor Layne (Christopehr Masterson) is a high school graduate, just graduated and accepted to Cal-Berkeley and on his wedding day, (that's right he's getting married at 18 and his fiancé isn't pregnant either) he suddenly and elaborately has a change in plans but decides to go off on a honeymoon of sorts anyway. A chance meeting in Nicaraugua with an adventurous couple Christopher (Johnny Messner) and his wife Darlene (Brooke Burns) finds him enlisted to take part in a grueling journey to set a record by crossing the 100 mile Darien Gap through a dangerous and primitive jungle in a jeep. Also in the crew are Shalim Ortiz as Carlos, Angelika Baran as Anna, James Duvall as Taylor and Jake Muxworthy as Justin. The adventure becomes a life-changing experience for the aspiring writer/adventurer Layne. Veteran actors Maria Conchita Alonso and Ernie Lively are wonderful in support roles as Layne's parents. The entire cast is good and it is beautifully photographed by cinematographer Lawson Derning. You have to suspend belief in the implausibilities and many holes in the story and 28 year old former Malcom in the Middle star Masterson seems a little worldly and long in the tooth for an 18 year old but that didn't stop people from enjoying it and Whelan is already thinking sequel. I spoke privately with Whelan after the Q&A and I brought up several things about the story that I didn't buy, all of which he was well aware of and was a real good sport and I wasn't offending him at all. The seven principal actors are a good cast and it's a feel-good kind of story but I can only muster up a 7 out of 10.

I'm reviewing this movie nearly 5 years after I saw it, so bear with me. "Why bother," you ask? Because 5 years later I'm still hard pressed to come up with a movie like it.

A real gem, though not necessarily everyone's cup of tea, "The Art of Travel" will appeal to those of you wanderlusting souls who can enjoy adventures in the simple act of getting on a plane and going somewhere new. There are no car chases, bank heists or torrid love affairs with hot supermodels. But since when have any of you experienced any of that? (If you have, then why the heck are you watching movies like the rest of us schmoes??)

Actually the story does contain some heavy action & suspense, possibly some good old Central American gunfire, but that's not intended to be the focus. On the contrary, life without hair-raising thrills can be every bit as adventurous and fun, and "The Art of Travel" shows us precisely that. I highly recommend it to young people who plan on traveling the world, as well as older folks who have never had the opportunity. This film awakens the adventurer in all of us. And don't get me wrong; it's certainly not boring. Like any good trip to a foreign land, every minute is packed with the unexpected. Hats off to the filmmakers for bringing the unique magic of travel into our living rooms.

"The art of travel is to deviate from the current plan."

If you are fond of travelling or just fond of watching travel shows, This movie is for you.

Art of Travel showcases the glorious and at the same time the lowly side of the places they've been through especially the one set in Nicaragua.

What I love about this movie was the good cinematography. It captures the beautiful scenery and the culture of the tribes as well.My favorite destination was Machu Piccu. This movie reminded me why Peru was my dream destination. I also loved the well-known wedding scene.I actually saw a video clip on facebook with the caption " the perfect way to get back on your cheating girlfriend". I love how it can make me smile at times. That's why I liked the ending.

There are some drawbacks that I noticed in the movie. The cinematography was good;however, one must not expect highly on the resolution because some of the scenes seems to look like it was taken from a video home camera. I also did not find any chemistry between the main character's love interest namely Anna. The plot for me, was draggy,predictable, and will make you feel bored at times. The flow was not clear.It even have some lapses. There are a lot of dead pauses and black screens.

Overall, Art of Travel is a good movie for all ye who wanderlust.Or just love the being one with the view.

6.3/10

This film is composed of elements that appeal to me but I was disappointed. The acting is journeyman quality and the cinematography is professional. The story is generally juvenile and poorly detailed, with some exceptions. Those good scenes made viewing less painful. The plot development tries, but fails to achieve a coherence and fails to allow the characters to become real. This leaves the movie as an 18 year old's fantasy of what he could do if he left his home town in anger and embarrassment and had hot chicks falling for him through a series of adventures while traveling on money provided by a cool dad living vicariously. The young hero accomplishes nothing on his own merit except for saving the trans-Darien expedition from a guerrilla band in a scene that rings so phony it would have worked better as a dream sequence. This is not a retelling of the universal stories of transformation through adversity or rites of passage. Although the central character grows a beard and looks older by the end of the movie he has not matured. Likewise, decent acting and production values have not created a mature or compelling film.

So I watched this film to an sold out audience at Cinequest a couple weeks ago. While watching the movie I was entertained, maybe not as much as the rest of the audience who seemed to just love it, but by the end of the film I just thought the film was at least fun to watch, nothing that blew me away, but I wasn't disappointed in the film at all. I watched the Q & A and the filmmakers seemed really passionate about the way it was made and to go out and travel the world. And they had some great stories about how the film was made. And Brooke Burns is so beautiful in person - which by the way she played one of my favorite characters in the film too. Anyway, I walked out of the theater thinking it was alright and now, two weeks later, I'm still thinking about the movie! Now- I think the film is quite amazing and I will rent it if it ever comes out on video. (I'm happy I got to see it on a big screen) How funny huh? It's not the greatest independent I've ever seen, but it's dam entertaining and it makes you want to go out and travel the world. What's crazier is that I actually bought a ticket to Honduras yesterday and I'm setting out for my own adventure! So I warn you, watching the film might make you do something impulsive. . . that's a good movie in my book.

Inevitable comparisons to "Motorcycle Diaries". Yes, there is a difficult trek through Central and South America. But that's pretty much where the similarities end.

The Motorcycle Diaries succeeded because Che is a compelling character, not a fresh-out- of-high-school kid with a vindictive sense of humor. There is no self-discovery in this film; no greater themes (populism, for example, in MD).

The main character in this film simply realizes he likes running away from his seemingly-cool family and being a man-child with no responsibilities. He's the embodiment of every guy in a midlife crisis who still wants to do "something really cool" with his life, to get away from it all, with a threesome in a Nicaraguan hotel thrown in for good measure.

I will say that I laughed at certain points in this movie. The supporting characters are much more entertaining (not to say that Masterson was bad in the role; it's just not a very good role). But halfway through, when I started groaning and rolling my eyes more than laughing, it became less and less worth standing in line at the Philly Film Festival for.

I saw this last night at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, CA, and it is a lovely movie about adventure, exploration, coming of age in your own way. The chemistry between the characters is great, and the scenery is beautiful. The movie is well filmed and of very professional production values.

The premise is that the main character Connor Layne's wedding plans go awry he decides to leave behind his conventional plans for his future and sets off on his honeymoon by himself. This leads to a series of travel adventures involving various mishaps, romance, jungles, rebels, and some rather amusing practical jokes along the way.

I would hope that more people get a chance to see this movie and enjoy it as much as I did.

Had googled 'great travel movies' before I watched this, and must admit that it has been a long time since I was that disappointed. I will not employ tired similes in this review (such as 'it has as much depth as a well-splashed puddle') but rarely have I seen a movie - with so much potential to be engaging - being so unengaging. All the characters overacted, so I was left midway through wondering whether this was meant to be a farce or a philosophical 'find yourself' film. Masterson's character annoyed me so much that had I encountered him on his central/south American odyssey, I would have slapped him to the deepest reaches of Patagonia. While there was some redemption in the cinematography, the overall premise of this movie was constructed with incredulous naivety and could just very well turn you against backpackers or put you off your next jaunt to Machu Picchu

I was able to see "The Art of Travel" during a private screening for the cast and crew at Fox Studios. I had no idea what this film would be about because the title suggests it might be a documentary. I was very surprised that it was actually a feature film and it hooked me within the first ten minutes! I could really relate to this movie because my family is from South America and I have traveled with them to many different countries. Sometimes as Americans we don't realize all the beauty that exists outside our country. I liked that this film sent a message to get out there and educate ourselves not by just watching the local news but by actually experiencing different cultures and places by traveling. Great movie!

Honestly, I wanted this to be brilliant with the shows this particular team of writers claim to have been a part of, however, I couldn't have been more bored with the plot, as I've seen this same storyline time after time. It would have been absolutely brilliant if a bottle of spirits had been sent to my friends and I prior to viewing the fiasco. Self-inflicted pain on our mind, over romanticism of typical plots (and this whole script based off a joke on the internet of a guy betrayed by his fiancé and his revenge of getting her back with pictures placed under the seats), shoddy puns and pathetic paths. If I had paid I'd actually write it off as poor judgment on my part and punish myself by watching it again to really drive home the obvious self-destructive suicidal path I must have been on. Total Shite!!

I had the privilege of watching this film during the 2008 Film Festival in San Jose, California. This film was beautifully made and I truly enjoyed it. I thought the cast delivered great performances and the cinematography was absolutely spectacular! I loved the fact that this film was exclusively shot on location, so the audience could get a glimpse of each country they traveled to. The audience loved this adventure-comedy-romance story which also delivered some pretty funny scenes. I will say that it had a lot of unnecessary cursing. I thought it would have been just as funny without the excessive bad language. I got the impression that perhaps this was to show the dynamics of each character and how they all worked well together, despite how different they were from each other during the hike.

I'd like to add that at the arrival of my screening, they actually had to turn people away because the film was not only sold out, but had exceeded the max seating capacity of the theater. I learned that this had happened the night before as well. So, if you plan on seeing this film, get there early to guarantee a seat. *I ended up on the floor... and still loved it!

I enjoyed this so much and I highly recommend this film.

I love travel, I love travel books and movies - this movie left me totally empty with disappointment at the end, which is significant, given that I was emotionally primed for acceptance. It simply fails on so many levels.

I think it deserves 3 stars for cinematography, but that's about it - one would think that the project crew should have been encouraged to rise to the level of the cinematography, but no. The screen writing has little continuity or meaningful base, and the directing displays no maturity - One envisions a long series of one-take scenes! The viewer is expected to believe that a gang of inexperienced trekkers is going to be able to slice through some of the world's most impenetrable terrain without incident - and cut a road in the process! Please. And someone should have given the gang a quick lesson in how one 'holds' a machete, much less how to use it properly - additionally, if this film is actually shot on location, why didn't they make the jungle environment of The Darien look difficult? Most of the shots of jungle terrain look more like a Florida backyard than impenetrable jungle - stuff like this takes the pleasure of viewing away quickly.

I note that a large number of reviewers here on IMDb saw this movie at one of the minor movie festivals in the U.S., and that their reviews are generally very favorable. I can only assume that these festivals -for the most part- show only minor independent films, among which films such as this compare very well - and surely the hype surrounding such a festival's best offerings must be significant! How else would you explain such generous praise for such a weak piece? This one deserves to be better - it's a shame it isn't.

I attended a screening at the Palm Springs Film Festival where the filmmakers spoke after the screening and I have to say that this film is worth finding and checking out! I went into the movie expecting nothing from the film and was blown away by how original it turned out to be! From the opening of the film to the ending I never had any clue which direction the film would take me. Now I have to say that I've actually become a huge fan of Christopher Masterson and his performance was solid. If you are a fan of traveling then this movie is a must see. If you're a fan of independent films then this is also a must see. The photography is amazing although the beginning of the film seems a bit rushed, but you really get into all the characters and want to see the gang make it through the jungle and break the world record. After the movie the filmmakers talked about the hardships all the actors had to deal with and those stories alone blew my mind. Anyway, once again a very original film and I think most people would agree that it's worth checking out. Now I really have the desire to go travel the world.

One of the better entries at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. It kept me entertained throughout and also dealt with some consistently fascinating themes such as coming-of-age, maturity, personal growth, and freedom. The cinematography was beautiful, some breath-taking shots of the jungle, and yet always somehow managing to make us feel as claustrophobic and trapped as the characters we followed. A problem many independent films seem to run into is introducing something and then not tying it up, but The Art of Travel wrapped everything up and wrapped it up well, in compliance with both the story and believable character arcs. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had the chance to view this movie today at the Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose. It was also great to have a questions and answer session with Brooke Burns and the producers. I have to say, I really enjoyed this movie. There are so many great scenic shots of the different areas traveled. The cast seem to really mesh well. The story draws you in and you find yourself wondering what will happed in the end. What does the future hold for Conner Layne? The travel seems so daunting and intense, but the script keeps it light and enjoyable. Plus, Brooke Burns is beautiful. If you are a fan of hers at all, then you will like this movie.

What a fabulous movie! I saw the film at the Palm Springs Film Festival and enjoyed every minute! Chris Masterson did an excellent job of portraying a young, inexperienced man who transformed into an experienced world traveler. The adventure was action filled and the scenery was breathtaking. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with the writers and producers at the festival. What an impressive group. It was interesting to talk with them about the challenges of filming in other countries, such as Nicaragua and Bolivia. Anyone who enjoys travel and adventure must see this film! This is definitely the best Independent Film that I have seen!

Hands down, the cinematography is well worth the whole movie. While there are things that occur that make it difficult to suspend belief, the over all movie is masterful. For the person with serious wanderlust or a sense for adventure, this movie takes the viewer on an adventure that won't be forgotten. While I thought I knew how this film would progress, I found myself surprised more than once by plot turns and it ends in what I thought was an unexpected manner making this even the more memorable. I was also surprised by the wonderful cast. While I know their characters must be superbly written and their setting is dramatic, they still carry the film making me catch my breath. Be prepared for an unforgettable experience.

A young man ditches his wedding, for good reasons, and begins traveling far from home, meeting people and having adventures of every kind along the way.

Filmed in different locations around the world, this adventure/romance follows the travels of a young man experiencing life away from home for the first time. The people he meets tend to be other adventurous travelers like himself, who introduce him to new places to go and things to do.

There is some good humor in the movie, along with unexpected situations, excellent scenery and pretty good acting. This isn't going to change your life, but it's the kind of film you'll remember fondly and recommend to friends. If you've done a little traveling yourself, you'll recognize the type of people being portrayed.