The Trail

It helps to like the old west and survival. The acting was ok, but it's more about the story. And our faith in God above. I teared up more than once and the end was powerful. God is always with us. And if you ever doubt that, then watch Him work!

Being lost in the woods is no fun. Being lost in the woods in the winter with just the clothes on your back is pure torture.

Today, we're surrounded by survival experts and survivor-themed shows just about every night of the week and none of them truly capture what it would be like to be alone in the woods with no discernible hope for rescue.

"The Trail" is the story of a seriously dire circumstance where the odds of survival for one woman are worse than the Raiders winning the Super Bowl this season. It is somewhat organic as a low-budget film but makes up for it with high-quality acting from its lone star.

It's a rare thing in Hollywood to have a movie where you essentially have one actor or actress carry the entire feature. You'll notice right away that nary a word is spoken in "The Trail" in the first 20 minutes and that's where it grabs your attention.

Jasmin Jandreau does an outstanding job as Amelia, a widow who has just lost her husband as they travel the always brutal Oregon Trail.

"The Trail" is an interesting look at a terrible individual struggle and an excellent showcase for Jandreau, who clearly has a bright future.

If you're going to make a list of every historical inaccuracy every time you watch a film, be prepared for some serious hand pain. Relax and enjoy the story.

I thought this was a refreshing take on the westward migration and the difficulties that accompanied. The lead actress does a wonderful job, and it's nice to see a strong female character face real adversity. This story isn't told through CGI or through the jaw-dropping special effects to which we've all become so accustomed. It asks the viewer to focus, become drawn in, and join her on her journey through physical trials, and questioning beliefs.

I will not go on to spoil any plot points, but we thought this was a wonderful family movie with genuine emotion and a nice message. I highly recommend this movie.

This movie has taken a lot of heat for historical inaccuracies and unrealistic circumstances (among other things). Still, it offers a good moral theme and does tell a compelling story without ruining the aforementioned with some sort of predictable, clichéd ending. It's worth a watch if you're the more patient type of viewer who enjoys an intellectual movie experience. Sit back and employ your "film reading" skills with this one. There's lots of symbolism. Though it does fall short on the type of action sequences that less sophisticated, mainstream audiences require these days, it does not disappoint with tension.

I've read all the reviews pointing to the obvious problems with zippers, sweating, costumes, etc.... and I noticed that too but I think it is short-sighted not to point out the things that worked in this movie. This was the director's first film on a very, very small budget and I think he accomplished some very effective scenes. The attack scene was pure genius because it creates terror with no extra expense using a bunch of actors, etc.. The viewer experiences it completely from the woman's point of view. The lead actress is excellent and well directed! I also thought the camera movement around the woman in the woods was excellent and created genuine suspense. Making films is extremely difficult and to just pick away at all the details of sweating, zippers and undergarments, and the fact she never wears a coat is all legit but stops short of the redeeming qualities of this film. In the Coen brothers' re-make of "True Grit" the girl is completely dry after riding her horse across a river! And that's the very well-financed, acclaimed Coen brothers! This film maker has genuine potential and should be encouraged to make more films.