The Trail

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.

A beautiful movie about faith and survival. What might seem like inaccuracies to some, were irrelevant? It's silly to point them out. The movie teaches a lesson. It would be a shame if you missed the point. The acting was first first rate.

This movie had a great premise and could have been great. It started out ok, but just got worse and worse. A lot of things in the story line didn'make sense (example: she was incredibly smitten with her husband, which the viewer doesn't understand because he's portrayed as a jerk). The scene with the piano just drove me crazy! It was SOO obvious the director was trying to be artsy. It reminded me of a Counting Crows video (puke!). Another miss: the horribly cliche Native American boy (including his Kmart bought costume). At times the main actress was good, other times she was horrible. All the other actors were even worse. The final editing was not well done. Cut-to's that were disjointed and didn't line up, or shots that needed another 20 seconds to establish the context or emotion. If this was made by some college kids, then I'd say bravo. In that aspect this movie would be impressive. But I suspect it had a little more experience and budget behind it. It almost seemed as if it was rushed out of production. If more time had been spent on the details and editing, it would have been a MUCH better movie. I will give credit to the writer though, as the story was very solid. Some people can see past all these errors, but people that expect a movie to leave an impression on them will find it too irritating.

This is a small independent film and considering the small budget, it is excellent. The main theme of the film is thought provoking-Does God exist and does He care? The main character of the movie, a young married woman is coerced, by her patriarchal husband and the social dictates of the day, to set out on the Oregon Trail and find their piece of the Garden of Eden. Her husband is a controlling buffoon, insisting that they secretly leave (she is instructed that she not tell her family-maybe so that they will not intervene?) and eventually she acquiesces, as she is a Godly young woman. Her headstrong husband eventually leaves the protection of the wagon train and heads out on his own which ultimately leads to his demise, leaving his ill-equipped wife alone in the wilderness. Yes, there were zippers and materials that didn't exist at the time, but anytime one watches a movie, there are moments when a viewer suspends disbelief. Multiple books about actual crossings of the Oregon Trail recount how as the wagon-hauling oxen, cows and horses died; settlers began throwing out all but absolute essentials. Thus, finding an abandoned upright piano alongside the trail was not unheard of. Before leaving the wagon, Jasmin Jandreau looks through her clothing, pulling out her wedding gown and a pair of lace up ladies boots. The boots are falling apart so she puts them and the gown back in the wagon, deciding to wear what looks to be her wedding shoes. Eventually, she finds a dead man on the trail and takes off his boots so that she can have more appropriate footwear. This film is fairly realistic and also faith affirming.

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!