Ice Bound

I liked this movie because it told a very interesting story about living in a totally different world at the south pole. Susan Sarandon is such a good actor, that she made an interesting, strong character out of mediocre writing. The true story displays a devastating situation for her character to overcome.

ICE BOUND (2003) ***1/2 Dr. Jerry Neilson is a physician who heads to the South Pole (Antarctica) to medicate any of the workers there who get injured. Upon arriving, she has to adjust to the interpersonal work setting before her and living in close proximity to the researchers (limiting personal time for herself). As she adjusts to the new surreal environment in which she has entered, she discovers and informs her fellow group that she has breast cancer, and that she may die if she doesn't get appropriate treatment from the United States. Another problem is, a plane only travels to Antarctica once every year to take people home. As she waits to depart, she finds comfort in her newfound friends, and hope through their willingness to help her.

Totally incredible work on the set to make it as accurate as possible! Truly impressive. I felt as if I were there. Question for the OAE's that wintered that year: Was the Doc REALLY as much of a whiney-butt as Susan Sarandon portrayed her...or was that just Sarandon's typical portrayal of any role she's done since Rocky Horror Picture Show. At any rate, had someone come to the Pole with that attitude, they would have been ostracized by the entire winterover crew. I wish they had spent more time exploring other members of the crew. That winter wasn't just about the Doc and her personal bout with cancer...it was about the crew pulling together and people back in the States overcoming immense odds to put the rescue together. Jeri was the VICTIM, the rest of the crew were the HEROES. My suggestion to the producers...save that incredible set you built, find yourselves some new writers, and put together a movie about what Pole is really like. Oh yeah, next time go with an "R" rating and show the 300 Club like it really is, lol.

Susan Sarandon was excellent casting in this role. She does a good job (although I understand the real life doctor Jerri Neilsen was not impressed with the portrayal of her.) It gets a little too folksy --- hey gang lets put on a biopsy --- and it ignores Dr. Neilsen's messy personal life. I also seem to recall --- I'm willing to stand corrected here --- that the rescue flight was undertaken by a highly specialized Canadian Forces crew, not the USAF as in the picture. If so, it is appalling that a Canadian production would cater to the US market in this way! Incidentally, Lake Simcoe, about 40 miles north of Toronto, a large lake which, unlike Lake Ontario, freezes over in the winter, stood in for the South pole.

I have been a Susan Sarandon fan for ever. and much appreciated her skill in this MOVIE. I watched it a the untimely moment when a friend of mine is also starting her battle with cancer, which add some depth in receiving this film. Here we have to accept that people do watch movies mostly for their entertaining benefit. On the other end, with today's awareness of of facts and knowledges'availability about almost everything. One has to ask serious questions as why the true facts of the event seems to have been distorted in favour of the wrong deserving people. Quite amazing that only 7 commentaries (8 if mine is accepted), are available here. I think if I was more involved with such a case I'd ask all my friends and acquaintances to have a look at the movie and the facts and put their comments on all available relevant fora.