Atanarjuat - La légende de l'homme rapide

For the longest time, I sort of avoided Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, as I knew the movie was a long one, and about Inuit legend, something that really didn't appeal to me. But when the title became available, I decided to, as they say, throw caution into the wind, and watch this. After finishing it, I'm really glad I had the experience, as it's a pretty amazing movie, both in it's story and the sheer fact that it got made. The story is about one man, Atanarjuat, and his daily life in the cold harsh arctic. He seems to get along well with the other Inuit, but soon, a power struggle erupts, and soon he has to rely on the powers within himself and others to overcome great odds thrown in his way. Again, the sheer fact that this was made, and the fact that they found actors in the caliber of performance that Natar Ungalaaq Pulls off is nothing short of remarkable. I don't know the full story of how this was made, but I am sure these are first time actors here, and they just ace it. Probably because the story hits so close to home. The lead actor, Natar Ungalaaq is to be especially commended for taking so many acting risks as he did (running naked on ice floes??) The only problem I have with this, and this seems to be a common complaint with people who watched this, is that it's quite hard for the first hour or so, to figure out who's who. But other than that, yeah, try to see this one if you can, you'll be glad you did.

This is a fantastic film made by Inuit actors with a will. Unbelievable scenes with wonderful photography and chilling (no pun intended) moments. The tale may be a bit hard to get into as the entire perspective is given from the Inuit point of view from the get-go. Many Western audiences will just have to go along with a great leap of faith. There is much that serious film critics can frown at as many of the scenes are a bit jerky in transition but the heart of the story and they way it unfolds in Inuit fashion is there for all to see and partake in. I sat spellbound for the entirety of the film and wanted more at its ending. As an anthropologist, I certainly appreciated the faithfulness of the representation of Inuit culture in terms of the ethnographic works I've read and as a movie buff, I applaud a wonderful job of Inuit actors and film makers sharing their world with us.

It tells a legend from the two thousand years ago, about Atanarjuat, who incurs the jealous enmity of Oki when he marries Atuat… Oki kills Atanarjuat's brother, but Atanarjuat escapes in a stunning sequence, running naked across the ice floes, outstripping his pursuers until, his feet torn and bloody, he is taken in by a friendly sorcerer…

The motion picture concedes nothing in the way of authenticity, with sequences that show in realistic detail the training of sled-dogs, cutting up animal carcasses or making an igloo… But the convincing ethnographic elements only serve to intensify the compelling story and characters, which take on a truly epic dimension…

If the purpose of a national cinema is to represent the culture of the peoples it belongs to, then "Atanarjuat" achieves this victoriously, both the content of the film and the manner of its telling being wholly specific to Canada, yet in the process achieving a universal appeal

Set in an Inuit settlement deep in the Arctic Circle, this film is about one problem in particular: evil. This film examines its origins and consequences. It also makes a profound assertion: that the way to get rid of evil is not with more evil, but with forgiveness.

Since all the action takes place within the physical and cultural confines of a Stone Age culture, one might think that the drama lacks emotional depth, vigor, or subtlety. On the contrary, perhaps it's because the movie is bereft of theatrical embellishments and stratagems, the problem comes all the more clearly into focus. Despite the wide cultural divide between the Postmodern world of the twenty first century and the primitive world of our hunter-gatherer forebears, we easily identify with the main characters: their hopes, fears, and ambitions. For that reason alone, Atanarjuat is a remarkable movie.

With respect to the problem of evil, however, what I really love about the film is its emotional complexity, which one wouldn't expect from a three-hour epic revolving around the daily lives of a Stone Age culture. On one level, there is the Shaman and his curse. It's part of the package that comes with the religious beliefs of the people. If one believes in the ability of dead ancestors to come and render assistance to the living, it's also possible for spirits to bring calamity and misfortune to the same. In this film, beliefs that for me are about as tangible as a ghost in a fog come alive.

On another level, Atanarjuat, like Hamlet, delves deep into the origins of evil within the human heart. Good old family values such as love, affection, greed, lust, and murder, come clearly into focus. We're left with judgments about what is right and wrong – judgments that the clan reaches from within the internal logic of its own values – but also with understanding.

I saw this movie last night and went to bed without words. After having a chance to sleep on it, it is now starting to sink in how truly amazing this movie was. You will be first blown away by the fact that this movie even exists. It is truly unprecedented in every sense of the word. I don't remember seeing anything like it, since maybe "Nanook of the North", which would be a stretch. Unlike "Nanook", this movie is shot from the Inuit perspective, the characters are not looked upon as anthropological specimens. They are people living in a fragile existence, where any wrong move could mean sure death.

The actors are astonishing, and it must have been so terribly cold up there, that you know this was a labor of love for the production team. The scenery is astonishing. Almost everyone who participated in this production was full-blooded Inuit. It is a beautiful story based on an Inuit legend that exists on many different levels and subplots, etc. All told on the frozen tundra without ANY indication given about the timeframe, or even century, in which it was set.

I am just astonished at the painstaking attention to historical detail. I have read many books on Inuit culture, and most everything I have read was visualized in this movie, the social structure, the power of the patriarch, the constant looming of starvation, the role of the hunter/husband, the insubordination of women (pre-arranged marriages), the obsession with taboo and curses, the fine art of building igloos and staying warm in -60 temps, and yet, through all the hardships, there was so much happiness. They even showed how the dogs were handled and treated, even down to the way they would slicken their sledge rails by spitting small amounts of water on them until a layer of slick frozen ice formed, which makes the sledges slide easier over the pack ice. The one thing that I thought of today was how the movie was TOTALLY absent of the white, European influence. Their knives were made from caribou horns; they had no metal knives or metal cookware, which indicates that the movie was purposely based on a time before the Inuit's first contact with white men.

It has a slow start, it's only fault. You will be a bit confused at first, trying to understand the characters and what exactly is happening, but then it starts to really suck you in, you begin to love the protagonists, who are physically beautiful people, and then you will grow to hate the antagonists, who are mean and undesirable. Afterwards, you will realize that almost all of these people, cast and crew, were full-blooded Inuit. You will then want to immediately see it again and demand a documentary on the making of this film. You will want to know who these people are, what they do in their normal lives, because most of these actors are making their big screen debut. The end of the movie gives you a quick behind-the-scenes peek, but it serves as only a small appetizer to a bigger feast. Most importantly, your respect for their pride and perseverance of their culture will increase ten-fold