Voyage au bout de la Terre

Somehow this film manages to turn what should have been a celebration of a great explorer into a tedious and dreary story. The direction and editing at some points is clumsy and creates confusion. For some peculiar reason much of the dialogue is produced in hushed tones as though the actors were worried about waking up a baby somewhere. Could and should have been an epic story. Shame

Just because the film is going places (a few of them actually), it doesn't mean its pace is a fast one. Quite the opposite is the case. Therefor making it I reckon almost unwatchable for some. Having said that, if you are curious about the will and curiosity of men, that won't stop you (no pun intended).

I don't know the real persons/individuals and how truthful this is to what happened (and their interactions/rivalries), I just know that it does work decently on the big or small screen and for the movie and its purposes. Very nice cinematography and the acting is more than just solid too. Not for everyone, but that I reckon is true for many other movies too, in a different way.

But cant say it was bad. I really enjoyed some parts of the movie.

I ordered this after reading a few reviews--we are big fans of the PBS production "THE LAST PLACE ON EARTH" made a few decades ago. So, anything on Amundsen is a must-see for us.

As others have noted, the pace is a bit slow, but the cinematography was quite good. The South Pole expedition included a gripping sequence wherein one of the party (and a sled) falls into a yawning fissure that suddenly opens up (possibly fictional, but it illustrates the danger of polar travel). After Amundsen returns form his 'successful' South Pole trip (I say that instead of 'victorious'), he is obliged to return to North Pole activities, and is attacked by a polar bear. Scary moment, well-filmed.

Usually, a slower pace will allow the Director to develop the protagonist's character more, but I am still mystified by what made Amundsen tick. He could not abide opposition to his ideas, and seemed to have a 'you cross me--we are done' outlook. Nonetheless, he was the kind of Project Leader you needed when you travelled in the Wild: a meticulous planner, and a tireless worker who did not play mind games with his companions--he kept 'aloof' somewhat to avoid currying 'favorites' & sought the counsel of his team. That was exactly what was wrong with his South Pole competitor, Robert Falcon Scott--a great gamesman and author, but a terrible guy to work for when your life is on the line.

I would recommend the film, if you have an interest in the subject. If you can find 'The Last Place on Earth' (book or dvd), though, I think you will find it longer, but quicker-paced, and give you more insight into Amundsen (even though it splits between him and Scott). 7/10

The Norwegian critics haven't been too kind to this movie, but it is much better than the critics would have you believe. It was a fascinating and thoroughly interesting film, about a great man who lived a highly prominent life. I liked the scope, and that they focused not only on one major achievement, but gave time to all of Amundsen's accomplishments. It reminded me a bit of Richard Attenborough's Chaplin (1992) starring Robert Downey Jr. in the way it was told, and I liked that it was done in this way.

Pål Sverre Hagen was great in the lead role. The film rests on his shoulders and he was impressive. He captured the weight of the character, and was particularly successful in portraying Amundsen as a middle aged man. He was totally believable. I don't normally gush about Norwegian actor's, like most I tend to focus on the American and British actors, but Pål was a real star in this film. He captured a lot just with glances, without even speaking.

As perfect as most of Amundsen's achievements were, this film showed that a great man has to be ruthless at times to bring about such success. That single focus to succeed and relentless pursuit, was captured well in the film.

I will also applaud the director for not spoon feeding the audience. He didn't spell everything out, and he trusted the audience to be active participants in the telling of this story.

When you get that "natural high" feeling after watching a film, you know you've watched something good.