La fuerza del viento

Under anyone else's direction, "Wind" would be mediocre at best. Caroll Ballard of "Never Cry Wolf" helmed this fictional tale of the race for the America's Cup, and it shows. The level of acting is mixed: Modine is wooden, but the supporting cast doesn't get the exposure it deserves, especially Skarsgard. The plot is somewhat sports-movie predictable, and the characters are, for the most part, poorly executed, though most blame for that probably belongs to the dreadfully scripted dialogue. The movie's real strength is in its stunningly beautiful cinematography, full of seemingly impossible camera angles, well-crafted scene composition, and wonderful use of color and shadows; in places, it is as visually appealing as "2001". Ballard's direction is superb, and Poleodorus' score matches the camera work in excellence. Non-sailors will enjoy this film, and will be able to follow the intricacies of high-level yacht racing. Sailors will drool over this glorification of sailing's beauty.

This is one of the movies I never tire of seeing again. Beautiful sailing scenes, but you don't have to know anything about sailing to appreciate it. The cast did an earnest and excellent job. It must have been a labor of love to make. Don't miss it.

The film student in me appreciates this movie, the sailor in me loves it. A classic among the sailing community, it is beautifully shot, and tells a convincing fable about the costs of blind ambition and the value of redemption. The main

character, Will Parker, is loosely based on Dennis Connor and his performance at the 1983 and 1987 America's Cups. One of the few movies about sailboat

racing, does turn heavy-handed at some points, but overall is an appreciable, tightly made film with high production values. I would recommend it.

This is a great movie for people into sailing. Has some really spectacular shots. Has the best racing shots I have ever seen. The best thing about the whole movie is the score by BASIL POLEDOURIS. He has done it again another masterpiece.

As a long-time sailor and racer, I admit that most consider a sailboat race like watching the grass grow, but they've done a great job of producing exciting racing scenes, while having so few technical inaccuracies that the most avid of us keep rewinding to review and debate. Take good note of the early dinghy racing scenes. I don't believe they used any trick photography: things really can happen that fast.

Of course, there's a larger set of stories, the classic love stories: between men and women, of sailing, of ideas, of ideals; the rough retelling of the Dennis Connor story (though I place Robertson/Weld as Connor, not Modine/Parker); an accurate representation of the "Old Boys'" network that *is* big-money yacht racing --I've met "Abigail Weld" many times; and the "absurdity" of a desert-based effort winning the Cup, a nod to the Melges' campaign.

The photography is astounding, the character development (the reason for the film's length) good, and the music complimented everything admirably.

That it's "about" sailing will turn many off, but those of us with a love of the sea and sailing hold this as a classic to be cherished.