EIGHT BELOW
US, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, Jason Biggs, August Schellenberg, Wendy Crewson.
Directed by Frank Marshall.
Here is a film that can be rightly called a family film. There is something worthwhile for all members of the family – although critical teenagers might think it is all a bit too nice!
In 1958, a Japanese expedition to Antarctica had to withdraw because of the excessive bad weather. The members of the team had to leave behind the sled dogs when they hurriedly evacuated. The dogs, using their canine wits and drive to live, survived the winter and were recovered at the beginning of spring. A heroic story and a tale for dog-lovers. The Japanese made an epic film of these events in 1983, filming in Canada. It was called, simply, Antarctica.
Producer, Frank Marshall, who had worked with Spielberg on several of his epics and who had himself directed several films, including Arachnophobia and Congo, was also the director of Alive, the story of the Uruguayan football team whose plane crashed in the Andes and who showed heroism in staying alive and finding rescuers. Marshall is obviously at home in the snow. He was attracted to do a remake of Antarctica. However, the adaptation makes the story an American one and the setting has been changed to 1993, the last year that sled dogs were allowed to be used.
Eight below is something of a mild title for this film. For a lot of the time, the temperature is well below eight. The film introduces us to two young men working at Mc Murdo Sound, hotting up in the sauna and then racing into the snow. We feel the cold at once! They are part of a scientific team which works there during the Antarctic summer. Jason Biggs is Chris, a cartographer, tracing amongst other jobs, the treks of penguins. Biggs provides some of the comic touches. The other is Jerry, an athlete who works as a guide and who trains the dogs. He is played as serious hero by Paul Walker (The Fast and the Furious, Timeline, Into the Blue).
When a scientist (Bruce Greenwood) wants to explore a site to find traces of a meteorite, he and Jerry and the dogs risk the thin ice to travel to Mt Melbourne. However, a huge snowstorm moves in and they have to rush to base, especially after the scientist breaks his leg, and evacuate the base at once. The dogs, chained together, have to be left behind.
The dogs are impressive specimens – even to those who are not dog-lovers. We get to know them by name. They are also heroic, pulling the scientist out of an ice-hole and dragging him to safety with his broken leg through blinding blizzards.
The film indicates the passing of the winter, signalling the number of days that the dogs are alone. Most of them are able to break out of their chains. They band together and help each other. They hunt random birds for food, find the remains of a beached whale and are pursued by a scavenging leopard seal. This is Discovery channel material plus dramatics.
Meanwhile, of course, Jerry makes many attempts to get back to Antarctica to save the dogs – to little avail, until… And, the film mixes the action and the sentiment well enough even for hardened cynics to be moved by the survival power of the dogs and the joyous reunion.
The film-makers went to Canada for some rather breathtaking snowscapes. A sequence with an icebreaker ship was filmed in Norway. The technical qualities are fine and the performances of the dogs and their screen presence are convincing. Eight Below is suitable for all audiences, although classification indicates that for very young audiences, there is some ‘mild peril’.
1.The popularity of dog films? Friendship with humans? In peril? Risking lives? This film as embodying all these elements?
2.The film inspired by a true story? The Japanese expedition of 1958? The 1983 Japanese film, Antarctica, with these themes? The film adapted to an American setting in Antarctica? The plausibility of the plot, the scientists in Antarctica, the weather conditions, the sled dogs, their survival?
3.The focus on the dogs? The team, their alertness, their skills? The training? The friendship with Jerry? Their relying on him? The scene of feeding them with the fish? Their going on the expedition with Jerry and David Mc Claren? Pulling Mc Laren out of the ice hole? The coming of the bad weather, their getting through? Their being chained up, being left? Their getting free – except for Jack? Their ingenuity, their working together, their ways of communication? Their survival in the weather? Their finding the birds and getting food? Their finding the beached whale, the fights with the leopard seal? Their ingenuity? Injuries? The months passing, the sharing of the food? The humans returning? Their coming to meet Jerry? Maya and her injury, Jerry carrying her to the vehicle? Jack not surviving? A story of the dogs’ endurance? Audience response, the plight of the dogs, the personalities of the dogs?
4.Jerry and Charlie in the Sauna, the comparisons of the temperatures inside and out? The indication of the conditions in Antarctica? The summer season, the thinning ice, the risks in the expedition? The ice holes, the cracking of the ice? The sudden coming of the storms? Flying conditions? Vehicle conditions? The winter team not able to come in? The passing of the months? The spring change? The icebreaking ship, getting stuck in the ice? The use of helicopters? The Italian land vehicle? A vivid picture of life in Antarctica? The variety of work, mapping, the paths of the penguins, the geological information, the meteorites? The technicians, the doctor?
5.Jerry, age and experience, a guide in Antarctica? Friendship with Charlie? The past relationship with Katie? His affection for her? The decision to go on the expedition? His warning against it, following orders? The dangers on the trek, rescuing David Mc Claren? The warning about the storm? Giving him the morning, his finding the meteorite? The difficulties of the return, the radio going out, Mc Claren breaking his leg? His wanting to take the dogs, their having to evacuate? His arguments? His own frostbite? In the hospital, his recovery? The inability to go back? Going back to America, pleading with all the official agencies in Washington? Going to visit Mc Claren and his family in California? His going back to Oregon, being by himself, training the children at the camp? Katie coming to visit him? His going to Mc Claren’s celebratory evening? The friendship with Mc Claren? The decision to go to New Zealand, meeting Mc Claren, Charlie and Katie? The helicopter, on the icebreaker? Charlie’s solution about the Italian centre, getting the vehicle, rescuing the dogs? His satisfaction and achievement, being prepared to take risks? And the bond with Katie?
6.Katie, the bush pilot, her skills, past relationship with Jerry? Her having to leave the dogs behind? Visiting Jerry in Oregon, a new friend? In New Zealand, the bond between the two, flying the rescue mission? Happy ending?
7.Charlie, the comic style, the wisecracks, his fear of flying, his maps, especially for the penguins? His boasting about the Italian girl? Visiting Jerry in hospital? The bad news about the dogs? In New Zealand, in the helicopter, his solution with the Italian centre and the vehicle, the rescuing of the dogs?
8.Davis Mc Claren, the academic scientist, travelling around the world, wanting to get the meteorite, the expedition, talking about risks, putting the pressure on Jerry? His falling into the water, the dogs rescuing him? His broken leg, his being saved? His indebtedness to the dogs? At home, with his family, his son’s drawings, the son drawing the dogs who saved his father’s life? The celebration evening, meeting Jerry again? Financing the expedition, in New Zealand, participating in the rescue? The glimpse of his family?
9.Dr Harrison, the work at the centre, Mc Murdo Sound, Rosemary and her work? Having to obey orders, the pressures of the weather?
10.Jerry and his friend Mindo, native American Indian, discussions, Mindo helping Jerry to understand himself?
11.The action sequences? Filming in Canada and Greenland? Recreating the atmosphere, the weather and the dangers of Antarctica? The skill of filming the dogs and making their actions so convincing? The blend of human experience, heroism? The touch of romance? Surefire popular ingredients?
