chuckchuck21
When I started this movie I thought OK another story from the frozen north. It sure is that, but as it moved on I found that a great tale was slowly unfolding based on the simple theme of young love & social responsibility or lack there of.There are a number of great actors & actresses in this show & they all deliver. Some of the performances are not "to type" either. I was never a fan of Lou Diamond Phillips but he pays us all by being great in this. Jennifer Tilly, his love interest, wound up being the best character in the show (who knew?). Donald Sutherland plays a fine "Dirty Dan" here. Toshiro Mifune as the Inuit's Shaman is great in a part not written as you might expect.The up-close look at Inuit life is wonderful because it's focused on differences but not overly long. I bought this for my wife who loves these shows & only stumbled into watching it myself. This is recommended for all ages & tastes. A surprisingly good movie, if allowed to develop & one of the best endings to a story in a long time. NO ONE WILL GUESS THE END OF THIS SHOW.My wife & I loved "Iron Will" but this is a half star better. Broadens your knowledge of the world.
smatysia
A fairly interesting, if flawed, movie. Toshiro Mifune was great, and could pass for an Eskimo. Lou Diamond Phillips is awfully tall and lean, though. And Jennifer Tilly, well she is beautiful, and she acted very well, but just does not even come close to seeming Eskimo. In a way this is the old story of Europeans interacting with indigenous peoples. As one character out it, "You need us! you no longer can survive without our rifles and our metal knives!" And the chieftain admits "we will die" Should we have left these people in their Stone Age condition? I don't think so. But it did mean the end of their ways of life. The Innuit only escaped the reservation system due to the remoteness of their homelands.But back to the movie, it is worth checking out if only for the photography.
Fleshonbone
I like the story and its plot, especially dealing with the cultural clash of what is right and wrong and what is law. We are invited into the thinking of a proud tribe intruded by white people, who install dependence and betrayal. White traders cashing in furs for cheap alcohol, lowering prices so Inuit people can barely live. Agaguk, a proud chief's son gets impatient and kills a trader who wants to betray him. I like how Agaguk gets challenged by life and the attack of the white wolf, learns to respect his wife and let go of his anger. Lots of shamanic principles are to be found in this film, such as young people live alone on the edge of adulthood and the belief that if you take in some of the flesh of the enemy you might inherit his power. Only behind this background the end is understandable to "white" audience.What I did not like at all, the German tape version shows the killing of Donald Sutherlands character, in which there is a part of his private parts being cut off. Ofcause the Canadian DVD version cut the scene out. I think it is severe damage to the cultural picture you may get from this film. Why do "white filmmakers" always want to imply that "white" morals cannot be inflicted by actually showing a stone age still existing tribe's actions. Its like showing a cuddly wild cheetah on the screen without any hunting scenes. I hate how native people are downsized to harmless "pets" when it comes to be portrayed in a movie!Rather leave the shocking scenes in and rate the film for a higher age!
BigLaxFan94
I found this film to a little dull but what makes this one accurate is the fact that the way the Inuit are portrayed in it. They are depicted quite well for a Hollywood made flick. I'm very surprised how many actors of actual Inuit background were in this film. I know for a fact that they weren't just actors of other ethnic backgrounds pretending to be Inuit since their last names are actually Inuit names. All the other villagers were truly Inuit except for Lou Diamond Phillips and Jennifer Tilly. I love ANY film that deals with Native North Americans just as long as its not a typical Hollywood made movie that views them as "savages" or "heathens" who like to attack wagon trains!! I personally don't appreciate negative stereotypes like that.But ........... however........ anyways........... this is the reason why I gave this film a 6 out of 10.
AD
