R W
Posts: 268
Joined: 23/6/2006
|
Director: Peter Weir
Screenwriters: Keith Clarke, Peter Weir
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Mark Strong
Synopsis
A group of prisoners engineer a gruelling escape from a Stalinist Siberian gulag in 1942 and their passage to India.
Review
It’s been years since we’ve seen anything by Peter Weir, who not only has an extraordinary CV but one that is extraordinarily diverse. From war epics like Gallipoli, to the surrealist comedy like The Truman Show, the Aussie filmmaker continues to differentiate himself. Seven years after Master and Commander, Weir this time enters into factual territory.
Loosely based on the memoir by Slawomir Rawicz, we see seven prisoners embarking on a great journey starting at their escape from the Siberian prison and go through challenging obstacles. On the basis of the mentioned memoir, it is a story waiting to be done on screen and now it is been told by Peter Weir, there is wonder and enjoyment to be had.
However, as someone who is not familiar with the story or the book, I felt I’ve seen a lot of this before. One can debate on what are the factual elements within the film, because the depiction of the characters is somewhat clichéd, such as the lone American (Harris), the murderer with no remorse (Farrell) and the orphaned runaway (Ronan).
Despite the familiar characterisation, the strength of the film is the group dynamic as how the relationships between these men (and a girl) develop through the harsh conditions during this journey of epic proportions. While many might feel that the opening description spoils the ending, the denouements are tragic and the climax is incredibly moving.
While his screenwriting is not as good as his direction, Weir is one of great craftsmanship as if you’ve seen Master and Commander which is clearly a painterly piece of art. In the case of The Way Back, the film is mostly told through its landscapes from the bone-chilliness of Siberia and the extreme hotness of the deserts.
As we have seen films in which western actors doing thick European accents, The Way Back shows mostly British actors sounding very subtle in their Polish/Russian accents, such as a terrific Jim Sturgess and a sinister tattooed Colin Farrell. It’s a shame that we don’t see much of Mark Strong. Although Ed Harris does not do a foot wrong as the lone American who is doing the best performance, Saoirse Ronan is a delight you can’t resist.
Verdict
Although there was expectation of another great Weir film, we don’t get that, but we still a piece of craftsmanship thanks to the locations and performances.
|
Printable Version
The Way Back - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread