freydis-e Watched this on TV because I really wanted to see Thora Birch acting at 14. SPOILERS follow (but nothing you won't work out for yourself five minutes into the movie).There's lots of nice scenery, and some decent animal training, but it's poor for lots of reasons – it views like silly cutesy kids schmaltz, maybe because that's what it is. Birch is good – not as dazzling as she is today, but you can see it coming. Charlton Heston has always been a fine actor and a great star and, in a feeble role as a comedy heavy, gives an acting masterclass to everyone around him.There's one ghastly vomit-inducing moment which shows how lightly some of these hack movie-makers regard the characters they've created. OK, setup: Dad's a pilot who's just taken a job in Alaska, daughter Birch loves the outdoor life up there, slightly older son hates it, wants back to Chicago and never stops moaning. As soon as Dad's plane goes down, we know the rescue services are going to fail, the kids will have to get the job done, and the whole point of all this will be to get son reconciled with Dad. Setting off, all is sensible enough. The girl knows how to kayak, the boy doesn't, so he screws up, complains about aches and pains etc. And we carry on more or less like this (trying to ignore the comedy poachers and the cutesy baby polar bear). The girl's strong, resolute, sensible and resourceful, the boy's initially hopeless, but toughens up fast into a worthwhile companion. And then comes this moment. I wondered what was going on when, after they've both carried big rucksacks all the way, suddenly, for no reason, hers is gone. Just a continuity error? – I wish. They're climbing this mountain, the kind of thing they've been doing for days, when out of nowhere (and right out of character) girl suddenly whines: 'I can't climb any more. I'm tired,' setting up boy's macho return: 'Come on, I'll carry you if I have to.' The boy has to be transformed from incompetent wimp to tough-guy hero, the tough-guy needs a feeble girl to look after, and if we have to sacrifice the brave strong character we created earlier – hey, she's only a girl, after all, right?Don't pay to rent this, but if you see it on TV – did I mention it's got Thora Birch?

Sjoerd (Filmfan-NL) True, I've seen worse. It has all the ingredients all the other quadrillion movies of this type have. Kids, growing pains (never understood what that element has to do in these stories), beloved father gone missing, a save-the-day animal, two flatter than flat bad guys, some sidekicks (friend, an old Indian, sigh) and a flimsy excuse for a story. If I am really honest, the only thing that I will remember about this one is Thora Birch's relatively large chest for a girl her age. Acting is all poor. Benedict was better in his worst A-team episode, Birch is or at least was no actress (sorry to say) when she made this. Her brother is ridiculously bad, and whatever made Charlton Heston accept a role in this vehicle, must be they had something on him to blackmail him with. Even the pictures of the Alaskan nature are nothing to write home about. Your kids may like it, for adults it just lacks too much in all areas.

knutb This film brings back memories from the first movie i watched, "Tundra" from 1936. It had the same elements: A post pilot crashing on the tundra, getting lost, finds a pal, a small bear who had lost track of its parents. It was a very touching story, and exiting. But thanks to Hollywood - it all worked out well in a happy ending!When I now watch "ALASKA,it seems to be based on the same "TUNDRA".I have not seen any referance to it in the credits, but hoped that someone out there who also have seen "TUNDRA" could help to solve my "mystery".

frostedpinkcupcake This is a wonderful family movie for everyone to enjoy. But I guess I'm kinda biased because I love almost everything Thora Birch is in, and if not I love every single scene of the movie that's terrible she's in. I had seen Thora Birch playing Harrison Ford's daughter in "Patriot Games" and enjoyed her work, so I wanted to check her out in this movie and was rather impressed."Alaska" was a great movie I took my cousins to see.I thought Alaska was awesome! Much better than all that mindless wholesome movies starring actresses like Hilary Duff and the Olsen twins anyway. I do believe people under the age of 40 would like it better than others because I was one of the youngest ones in the theater when I watched it. Now that's really saying something. But besides that, it's a really good movie and I may be wrong and everyone may enjoy it! Take the whole family to see it! It's a really great movie! When this film was released I knew it would get criticism, either by the premise of stealing money, or by it's similarities between Gold Diggers:The Secret of Bear Mountain. I do not agree that it is like Gold Diggers, "Alaska" is a lot better. It even made me tear up a bit as Jessie and the bear cub's friendship was shown.The movie is about Jessica (Thora Birch-Monkey Trouble, Now and Then) and Sean Barnes (Vincent Kartheiser) who are two kids living in Alaska with their dad Jake (Dirk Benidict) who flies supplies to small towns in the wilderness. On one of his flights, Jake encounters bad weather and his plane ends up crashing into a mountain side. Frustrated by unsuccessful rescue attempts, Jessie and Sean set out on their own to find their dad whose wrecked plane hangs from the edge of a mountain peak. Along the way the kids encounter Collin Perry (Charlton Heston) and Mr. Koontz (Buck Fraiser), two poachers who've just killed a mother polar bear and taken its cub to sell overseas. The kids free the bear, which they nickname `Cubby," and it follows them for the rest of their journey. Of course the poachers want their bear cub back so they follow the kids hoping to get Cubby. From then on, the kids must deal with the poachers, as well as the dangerous Alaskan landscape, as they make their way to rescue their dad. This movie had some really neat climbing sequences, good action, spectacular scenery but it lacked a few laughs. Fraser Clarke Heston manages the climbing scenes well, and the film has some pretty odd moments.Thora Birch is great and gorgeous, she gives a good performance, and her dad and brother are also good.The poachers are a bit one dimensional, but it doesn't really matter to the kids, which is the audience most likely to be attracted to this movie. When seeing this with your kids and that it's just a movie. Don't let them take it too seriously, but hey, they're kids. With so many children's movies about kid's bank heists and a whole lot of action, wholesome family movies starring teen queens traveling to some foreign place, this movie is, not to sound cliche, a complete breath of fresh air, educational, good acting. 7/10.