JUNGLE
Australia, 2017, 115 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Radcliffe, Thomas Kretschmann, Alex Russell, Joel Jackson, Lily Sullivan, John Bluthal, Jacek Koman, Angie Milliken.
Directed by Greg Mc Lean.
Jungle is definitely not a misleading title. Most of the action takes place in the Bolivian jungle – though filmed in Colombia and around Mount Tambourine, Queensland.
This is the story of Yossi Ghinsberg, an Israeli man who left his home and family in Israel to find himself, working in Alaska, in New York, in Bolivia and invited to join an expedition into the jungle, to experience nature, to find tribes, perhaps gold in the rivers, and to find himself. In so many ways, he does. But it is a matter of survival in the jungle. And the final credits indicate that after these experiences, he moved back to Bolivia, into the jungle to contribute to ecology and prosperity, where he still is.
Interesting that Daniel Radcliffe plays Yossi Ghinsberg. In the years after Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe has chosen quite a wide range of roles, recently an undercover FBI agent in Imperium, Igor in Victor Frankenstein, the corpse in Swiss Army Man. Compared with the other main characters in this film, his companions in the trek into the jungle, Thomas Kretschmann as Karl, the ambiguous adventurer who leads them, Alex Russell as Kevin, the American photographer, Joel Jackson as Marcus, the Swiss teacher, he is definitely pint -sized. (Alex Russell and Joel Jackson Australian actors.) However, as ever, he has a strength of presence the persuades the audience of his character’s credibility.
The film has been directed by Greg Mc Lean, still best known for the two Wolf Creek films as well as the television series, for his crocodile film, Rogue, and the intense intra--offices gladiatorial survival film, The Belko Experiment. He knows how to draw intensity from his characters, from desperate situations which, in this case, are particularly visceral, a kind of intense physicality in threatening and survival situations which are reminiscent of films like Deliverance.
As the group trek into the jungle, the audience is drawn into sharing the journey with them, a strong identification of curiosity, of fear, challenge, of discovery. There is exhilaration in the beauty of the photography, mountains and jungle, close-ups as the group machetes its way, as well as beautiful aerial vistas.
The second half of the film takes place after Karl and Marcus trek through the jungle instead of continuing downriver on a raft which is what Kevin and Yossi do. If the audience ever wanted to know what it was like to raft through rapids, this may be as close as it will ever get! But, after the raft disaster, Yossi has to make his way through the jungle, surviving, becoming emaciated, having hallucinations, consoled by flashbacks, yet determined to continue, almost for three weeks before being found.
There is a religious dimension, Yossi’s Jewish background and the gift of a text from his uncle which reminds him of the divine as he survives.
In many ways, this film is not for the fainthearted who quail at the presentation of physical pain and suffering. The audience has to be prepared to share this demanding journey through the jungle.
1. The title? The focus on the Bolivian jungle? Endurance and survival in the jungle?
2. The location photography, Colombia standing in for Bolivia? Southwest Queensland? The beauty of the photography, the city of La Paz, the mountains, rivers and jungle, aerial views, close-ups? The musical score?
3. A true story? Yossi Ghinsburg and his experiences? As a young man in Israel? The flashbacks to his parents, his ordinary life in Israel, girls, his severe father and cutting him off, the gift from his uncle, the text? Working in Alaska? In New York City? Finding himself in Latin America?
4. The visual nature of the film, physical, pain and endurance, making a path through the jungle, insects, threats of animals, the rapids, the wreck of the raft, survival in the mountains, water, food, shelter? Memories? Hallucinations?
5. Yossi and his meeting with Marcus, Marcus and his friendliness, talking, his experiences? The meeting with Kevin? Photography background? His work in South America, and Africa? The bonding?
6. Karl, his background, befriending the group, proposing the trip? His self-confidence? The goals, the jungle, tribes, gold in the river, appreciation of nature, rugged experiences? Yossi and his being attracted? Kevin and the opportunities for photography? Marcus being persuaded? The map, the clarification of the destinations, the time to be taken? Before the rainy season?
7. The initial trek, the excitement, the experience, Karl going ahead and the group feeling lost, the farmer with the cattle, pointing the way? Karl and his free attitude? The beginning of the difficulties, Marcus and the wounds on his feet? Walking and stumbling? The river, panning for gold? Kevin and photographs?
8. The difficulties of continuing, building the raft, the water, Karl unable to swim? The decision to go by foot for Karl and Marcus? Yossi and the discussions, manipulating Marcus to walk? The raft, Kevin and Yossi? The rapids, on the rock, Yossi hanging on, dislodged, going downstream? Not knowing whether Kevin was saved? Yossi and his walking, rescuing his bag?
9. The long days walking through the jungle, by himself, difficulties with food, water, foot injuries? His becoming emaciated? Rain, his covering? Shelter? The experience with the young woman, real or imagined? Helping her, her disappearance? Marcus appearing to him? Searching for Kevin and shouting? The insertion of the flashbacks? Flashbacks and hallucinations?
10. The religious overtones, Yossi and his memories of Israel, the devout family, bar mitzvah, gift of the book? Finding the book after the raft wreck? His reading it? Awareness of God? Looking to the heavens?
11. The transition to Kevin, rescue, in the town, searching for Yossi? The police, the helicopter searching, unable to find Yossi? The recommendation of the man with the boat, his reluctance, saying that Yossi could not survive so many days? Their going out on the boat? Yossi, in the shelter, hearing the noise, too weak to shout, standing, fearing the worst? Kevin seeing him, the rescue?
12. Yossi, recovery, his decision to return to Bolivia and stay there, his eco-building? Businesses and tourists?
13. The information and the photos at the end? Kevin and his photography career? The disappearance of Karl and Marcus?
14. An intensely physical and visual experience of survival in the jungle?
