Waterwalker

This great film was my introduction to Bill Mason. My wife and I were in the local video store and rented it because we love canoeing. Later on the store went out of business, and we bought the same tape. When we bought it home, we found that it was played about halfway through. Why? Somebody rented it and just didn't get it. This is no criticism of the last renter though, there are a lot of reasons not to get this film.

Waterwalker's great strength and great weakness are both that it is Bill Mason's personal statement. That is great if you admire the man and/or if his outlook really resonates with you. Unfortunately since it is so personal, it meant nothing more to anybody than it did to Bill Mason himself, and the further away from him you are, the more likely it is not to hit the mark.

The result of this is despite the great success of some of his earlier films like Cry of the Wild, Waterwalker had very limited theatrical engagements and very rapidly headed for video. Still the same, how I'd love to see it on the big screen.

For myself, the film sparked a curiosity about who this man was and what he was trying to say, and these days "Waterwalker" is a better watch than ever. It is a favorite for a rainy Saturday afternoon when I'd rather canoe, but can't.

It moves slowly, but that is the intention--it helps to convey the pace of real wilderness experiences. Mason is impressive as both a paddler and a painter. He touches nicely on the spiritual side of remote travel, which I appreciate as he and I share a similar view. Some would be turned off by it.

This is one of the few films I own-I watch it regularly, and share it with traveling companions before we head out onto the water. I love this movie. Wonderful for those winter evenings when the sun has set in the afternoon and all the ice is more than a foot thick.

Though inspirational, this film would be slow for those who aren't interested in canoeing and wilderness travel. It is not instructional like Mason's other works, but more a way of taking you there when you can't go yourself.

"Waterwalker" is a chronicle of artist/filmmaker/canoeist Bill Mason's experiences during several months spent "roughing it" in the beautiful, rugged, unsullied wilds around Lake Superior.

Nothing extraordinary happens; it's simply a man canoeing and enjoying nature, completely unencumbered by thoughts of the stress, obligations, pollution, and fast pace of city life. Mason paddles aimlessly from here to there (followed by his cameraman, who does a superb job juggling the difficult logistics), occasionally stopping to pull out his painting gear to capture a particularly scenic view; as an added bonus, his paintings are quite accomplished. Mason's laid back, sometimes wry narration adds to the film's captivating serenity, but his intermittent religious musings, although innocuous, become wearisome after a while. The pretentious use of the voice-over of a Native Indian solemnly intoning platitudes also detracts slightly.

Bruce Cockburn's folksy music score complements the film nicely though.

"Waterwalker" casts a spell on those of us who are enthralled by the tranquility and timelessness of the natural world. We live Mason's adventures vicariously, and the film instills a yearning to follow his lead and "chuck it all".