Leofwine_draca KON-TIKI is a realistic re-enactment of Thor Heyerdahl's famous voyage in 1947 in which he crossed the Pacific on a raft made of balsa wood. Well-cast and with an eye for authenticity, this takes the viewer on a journey with a bunch of tanned actors in the middle of a wide and desolate ocean with only the sun for company. The only real problem with this film is that there's little conflict in the narrative and that which does take place feels a little bit exaggerated. Scenes of the characters being attacked by sharks and the like are familiar but well portrayed, and the cast members are certainly all up to the job.

krocheav To anyone looking for a film that embodies all that resembles quality movie making - this might be as close as you could get. Superb images ~ superb sound ~ superb performances ~ superb music ~ superb script, direction and cinematography ~ it's all on show...the Norwegians can be applauded for this special achievement.Due to better than average, imaginative script writing, any age group can enjoy this journey. In the hands of lesser writers it could have been loaded up with unnecessary language and details - instead, it's been mostly kept lovingly on target (the involvement of original family members probably helped). If anything was perhaps not fully necessary it might have been the beefing-up of some menacing 'JAWS' type scenes, but this is in keeping with the expectations of modern audiences - those weaned on over-the-top action flicks and moronic computer games. The representation of crew member Herman Watzinger has also been re-engineered and includes situations added for 'entertainment' purposes. These modifications of course are a small price to pay for a totally rewarding, highly exiting movie experience - that perfectly captures the passion and commitment of Thor Heyerdahl and his diverse crew's determination to pursue his vision on both land and sea. Some have made comparisons to another superb movie, the magnificent "Life of Pi" but this probably has more to do with the look of the above-average CGI effects and the survival at sea themes - apart from these ingredients they are a totally different genre of storytelling. Don't miss this terrific film and if possible see it on the big CinemaScope screen - complete with big sound reproduction to get the most from the award wining sound track!ADDITIONAL NOTE: For those who have seen the interesting 1960 movie "As The Sea Rages" also known as "Raubfischer in Hellas" and based on the famous novel of the same name by Werner Helwig (see IMDb listing), the real life character that Clements the seaman (played by Cliff Robertson) is based on, was a crew member on other Thor Heyerdahl expeditions ~ these are also worth seeking out by interested movie historians. KenR

suite92 Watch this in High Def if at all possible.Heyerdahl visits Polynesia in 1937, and hears the natives claim that their ancestors came from the east, which would be South America. While canoing with Liv, she imagines how hard it would be to paddle all those miles against the current. A light goes on in his eyes. Back in Norway, though, his theories about Polynesian origins are not well received. He intends to build a raft in the style that the Polynesians might used as proof of concept. Sailors in New York tell them that the ropes holding the raft together will break, and the raft will disintegrate. In contrast, a Scandinavian veteran sailor, who lost the use of a leg to frost bite, convinces Thor to use the closest possible materials and building techniques compared to the original sailors.He gets the rest of the funding he needs in Peru, and building takes a while. Things are a bit strained with Liv, but Thor sees a bright future after the voyage. They do a sea trial, then set off in 1947. Things go smoothly for a few days, then they get hit by a strong thunderstorm. They have to repair the sail. New readings indicate they need to correct their course, or else they will go through the Galapagos Maelstrom, which is contraindicated. They use a balloon to increase their antenna effectiveness, but their pet parrot eats through the line. They lose contact with Los Angeles.Their encounter with the whale shark was a bit scary. Fortunately, the mooring of the harpoon that a scared member threw into it gave way before the whale took them too far off course or tipped them over. The ropes look a little loose, and the old concerns come back. The encounter with the first great white gave another good scare. They notice that the raft is absorbing water, and thus getting heavier. They send via Morse code, which has greater range than voice transmission. A short time filming from an inflatable raft gives another shark scare. The pet parrot Lorita tries to nab something from the surface of the water; a small shark swims up like a rocket and eats him. The owner of the parrot, unfortunately, catches the shark then stabs it to death. More sharks appear, of course, from the quarts of blood released. Herman falls into the water with blood on his leg; the sharks are still there. They rush to recover him.After a lot of effort, they manage to correct course to miss the Galapagos Maelstrom and to make it to Polynesia. They pass the point of no return, and radio their location repeatedly.Their arrival in Raroia Reef, they attempt a surfing maneuver to get over the sharpness of the reef. The overhead shot of the reef and the Kon-Tiki was amazing. Unfortunately the reef cuts the rope too soon. The big wave comes in behind them, and Thor is thrown overboard. The raft makes it in one piece, and Thor manages to get to shore first, despite his lack of swimming ability.Thor makes eye contact with his lifelong friend Erik who saved him from drowning as a child. Erik carries his guitar and a dripping suitcase. The moment when Thor starts laughing afterward is priceless.The world receives the news with great interest, and Thor's life does change greatly, as he predicted to Liv.------Scores------Cinematography: 10/10 Excellent from beginning to end.Sound: 10/10 Also excellent, with wonderful incidental music.Acting: 10/10 Pal Sverre Valheim Hagen (Thor), Anders Baasmo Christiansen (Herman), and Odd Magnus Williamson (Erik) were just great, and I had no complaints about any of the other actors.Screenplay: 10/10 Solid, well developed, wonderful mix of powerful imagery, good acting, and direction.

lutyro I was psyched to see this film. I've been to Polynesia and so many guides recommend reading Kon Tiki. So, I was really glad when I saw that this was streaming on Netflix. This is a failed Spielberg movie. Somehow, they managed to take the air out of an exciting story of discovery and courage turn it into a cornball paint by the numbers kitten poster. First, I didn't like the main actor. He totally lacked charisma which I could have got past if the rest of the movie was good. You have four other members of the crew who have agreed to go on this crazy adventure without creating character or motivation of why they agreed to go on this potentially life threatening journey. If these other members have been made to live and breathe there would have been a lot of tension and interest in the journey. The opportunity was completely missed. Furthermore, they didn't bother to indicate how much time passed and how long that they been at sea, etc. At one point they mention that they are headed in the wrong direction toward the Galapagos something and then never pick it up again. There is some good CGI with sharks and I did like those bits. Otherwise this is a pass.