Alaska

I watched Alaska several times with my kids when they were younger, and just rewatched it last night. It's a cute film with the central theme - never give up. Dirk Benedict does an OK job as the father who moves his family to the Alaskan wilderness. This role was no stretch - he basically flies a plane and acts hurt, with brief interlude of arguing with his son. Sean, his son, has the typical teenage angst of not being happy in his own skin, while his daughter Jessie adapts seamlessly to her new environment.

I love the cinematography of beautiful Alaskan landscapes. Even more amazing is that the kids, Thora Birch and Vincent Kartheiser, do all their outdoors stunts, like sea kayaking thru rapids, rock climbing, and mountaineering. The flight scenes are exquisite. It's been almost 20 years since this 1996 film was made - I wonder how much of the glaciers in this film are left.

Charlton Heston is the bad guy, and makes you laugh when he has to pretend he is not into guns. By far, the little bear Cubby, is the star. He plays a key role throughout.

Just put reality into the background when you think about two kids doing what these kids did and how they did it, with their background. It's an enjoyable non-reality ride that will leave you happy and content. That should be enough for you and your family. Kids will enjoy this a lot.

If it were only for the splendid and breathtaking scenery i would still recommend this movie. However this film also delivers on the emotional level and follows a journey of transformation as beautiful as the visual aspects.

A single father apts for a change after losing his wife by moving to Alaska with his two children to become a bush pilot. His son is resentful at best, ungrateful, and unappreciative of the vast and stunning riches Alaska has to offer. When their father's plane goes down and rescue efforts fail, they begin a spiritual journey that will forever change their lives. The son, Shawn, played by Vincent Karthieser, soon comes to terms with the death of his mother, the love for his father, and the respect and appreciation for Alaska. Thora Birch, an actress with a promising future, provides the level-headed and sensible approach to the journey in contrast to her brother's cockiness and arrogance which provides for great chemistry between the two.

Along with the natural beauty and landscapes just about every other aspect associated with Alaska is present from: poaching, bushpilots, kayaking, rustic cabins, rock climbing,, moutaineering, camping, and the northern lights along with Cubby, a baby polar bear who tags along and even provides for some tear jerking moments and light hearted humor.

Overall this is a great movie for the entire family or for one with a fascination with the wonders and beauty of the last frontier. It truly evokes a sense of appreciation delivered in a manner without the concept of strong language, violence, and nudity, the three marketing schemes of the industry. It is a fantastic adventure, with great camera angles, stunning visuals and a powerful message. Very well done IMHO.

Hard to figure the negative comments about this film. It is geared to an elementary school audience who will find it very entertaining. But it is also good family viewing because the scenery is terrific and the polar bear cub is very cute. Since there was never a conspiracy to keep the demographic identity of the target audience a national secret, those complaining about its lack of sophistication were just too lazy to check it out before actually viewing it. The film delivers exactly what it promises so there is no real basis for that kind of criticism.

The editing is first class; especially on the canoe down the rapids sequence where the second unit stuff is perfectly cut into tight shots of the two stars. Thora Birch turns in another excellent performance and Vincent Kartheiser shows that even before "Angel" he modeled his acting on William Shatner (this is not a complement).

There are a number of plot holes but nothing that really matters. One interesting thing is the scene where the bear cub helps in the rescue effort by pulling the rope with his teeth. Seldom can you point to a "single" stupid detail that drastically dumbs down a film but that is the case here. Lose that one moronic shot and the film gains about 20 IQ points and could add a couple years to its target audience.

Loved the cinematography. Good character development... believable acting, good casting... overall a pleasant film the whole family watch. It's refreshing to see a well made film that doesn't use un-necessary violence, sex or profanity. Hats off to the whole team! Definitely recommend this film for family viewing. And to top it off there is a wonderful underlying message of hope and core family values... a message we all could stand to see and hear. Entertaining, exciting storyline.

I think it is safe to say that this film will appeal far more to a young child as opposed to an adult but if you're in a good mood and feel like sitting down and not taxing your brain, then this is the film for you.

Dirk Benedict of The A-Team plays the father of two young children who go out to rescue him after his plane crashes in the icy wilderness of Alaska. As is inevitable, they encounter the usual adventures kids have when wandering alone in the wild.

Charlton Heston is the token bad guy who is out to poach a cuddly little polar bear. Polar bears are the last animal you would expect to be so cuddly and if you cuddled one in real life, you probably wouldn't get up again but it's hard not to find the bear adorable.

All in all, a great film with the lovely Alaskan scenery and a cuddly polar bear. Check it out.