Em Retirada

Greetings again from the darkness. Man vs Nature movies tend to remind us of both our tenacity when things go badly, and our lack of control or overall insignificance in the big picture of life. This tends to be true in the mountains, on the water, under the ocean, in caves and in space. Twin brothers Alex Smith and Andrew J Smith have adapted and co-directed this film from a short story by David Quammen. The filmmakers were raised in Montana, and have an inherent feel for the stunning and often treacherous landscape.

Matt Bomer, in a sharp left-turn from his usual pretty-boy roles, plays Cal, a live-off-the-land mountain man with seemingly few needs outside of food, water and a desire to connect with his teenage son through a hunting trip. Josh Wiggins (who exploded on the scene in 2014's HELLION) plays David, a suburban Texas boy who is out of his element without his cell phone. The opening panoramic view of snow- covered mountains is contrasted with David's engrossed concentration on his hand-held video game as the plane approaches the landing zone. "How was your year?" is David's greeting from Cal, instantly elucidating their relationship.

Cal excitedly reports to David that he has been tracking a bull moose for 11 weeks, and wants this to be David's first big game kill. We are constantly reminded that this isn't trophy hunting, and that this single moose will provide Cal enough meat for a year. David has no real interest in killing a moose, but longs to connect with his father … and "longs" is interpreted through the teenager's shrugs, glances and body language. Wiggins plays David with the subtle authenticity of the teenagers most of us have known, raised, and at one time, been.

As Cal explains the history of the mountains, he also works in stories of his youth when his father (David's grandfather) was teaching him the ethics of nature. Numerous flashbacks feature Bill Pullman and Alex Newstaedter (as young Cal). The flashbacks are a bit artsy, and sometimes intrusive, but in the end, form a parallel story structure that works.

A couple of poor decisions lead to an accident that could be straight out of the Dick Cheney's field guide to hunting. Cal and David are both injured – Cal severely so. It's at this point where David must grow up quickly. The skills he has learned, or at least absorbed, are now necessary if he expects to save his father's life. What was a story of two polar opposite blood relatives trying to connect, transitions instantaneously into one of survival, maturity, persistence, and love.

Movies such as THE REVENANT and THE EDGE come to mind, but this one is short on thrills, and is instead a trudging struggle to survive – taking a quiet approach, rather than a showy one. Lily Gladstone, fresh off her terrific work in CERTAIN WOMEN, has a brief sequence near the film's end. The beautiful landscape and terrain is captured by cinematographer Todd McMullen, while Ernst Reijseger's score effectively complements the odd mixture of slow pacing and non-stop danger. Whether you are trying to live a reclusive life off the land, or simply one of the many parents attempting to connect with their kids, keep in mind that regardless of the beauty of the mountains, "snow is not our friend".

It is a well done movie, breath taking cinematography and marvelous music. The rhythm is slow in some parts of the movie though. Not a waste of time.

Flashbacks like an after-school special are the device of choice to force the audience to care about the characters...this backfires, of course. Perhaps there is a film out there using flashbacks that isn't this weak and insipid. It's not JUST that, offensive and hack-y as they are. One never gets behind these characters. The actors try but the script is poor. The writer writes conflict but never creates it. We cannot get behind them. But we are constantly reminded that we're supposed to be behind them and there is supposed to be some deep reality to their lives. It's maybe an American pitfall these days. Just tell a story why don't you? Don't try to make us care. We will care if you give us something to care about. But not everyone is Graham Greene. There are other jobs in Hollywood, after all.

I was not sure what to expect when I first saw the trailer for this film. I will say I am very glad I watched it.

Avoiding spoilers, I will say right off....the the story was original in a theme and setting often used. Cinematography and score were beautiful. Acting was terrific and narrative told with heart and realism.

This is the story of a boy and his father who go hunting for "Big Game" together for the first time. During their search for game a terrible accident occurs. From this point on, the film is a study in human endurance and love. Also a strong element of a boy becoming a man.

I felt the story was told perfectly without overdoing it and keeping it as real as possible. You actually feel like you Are there with them and feel their pain. This pain, however, it suppressed by the human spirit. It's a simple story, yet, original and wonderfully shot IMO.

There are parallels between Father and son and the Sons Grandfather. The flashbacks are relevant and illustrate the dynamic between the three generations.

A very well done and aesthetically beautiful film.

Elmer Fudd sings this song in several cartoons, and he is referenced by the grandfather in this grim story of survival in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. That may be the only hint of humor to be found, as a father and son track down moose until tragedy strikes. The second half of the picture is as gritty and harrowing as any you will ever see this side of a National Geographic special.

Cal evidently gets custody of his son David every summer, but in the mountain country where he lives it's always winter. David is not happy with the arrangement and finds out right away he can't get a signal on his iphone. He is a city kid and his dad is a hunter; they mix like oil and water. They begin as polar opposites but in the end they are bonded, in as gripping and unexpected a finale as you can find in a slow starting movie.

I disagree with a reviewer who felt the music background was inappropriate. I felt it was just right - unobtrusive and complementary. Never saw either of these actors before but they were effective and had chemistry between them. "Walking Out" is an underrated indie and deserves a bigger market. It starts like a travelogue but is a very affecting film; amazing what the human spirit can do when faced with severe adversity.

N.B. The setting is similar to "Wind River", which has a more intricate plot.