Synopsis:
Four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris (Apollo 13), Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) and Colin Farrell (In Bruges) star in this epic saga of survival from six-time Oscar-nominee Peter Weir (Witness, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World). Inspired by an incredible true story, The Way Back begins in 1940 when seven prisoners attempt the impossible: escape from a brutal Siberian gulag. Thus begins a treacherous 4,500-mile trek to freedom across the world’s most merciless landscapes. They have little food and few supplies. They don’t know or trust each other. But together, they must withstand nature at its most extreme. Their humanity is further tested when they meet a teenage runaway who begs to join them on their quest. A compelling testament to the human spirit, this gripping wilderness adventure is “Peter Weir at his hypnotic best” (Telluride Film Festival).
I simply cannot think of any other story outside of Schindler’s List that has tugged at my heart strings like the story told in The Way Back. Knowing that this really happened and knowing that there were a group of men (and a girl later on) that traveled from Siberia to India by foot is nothing short of miraculous (Google maps can’t even calculate the distant — seriously). Sitting back and watching this long journey unfold kept me glued to my HDTV. You will understand the harsh conditions this group had to face and the slow chipping away of their sanity. When they reach the end you will celebrate their freedom and smile on the inside knowing that they did what they wanted to do (maybe not everyone in the group).
With that said, the movie’s story had some issues. If you’re going to make a film about a journey of this magnitude, then you’re going to have to establish a few things first. Peter Weir did a brilliant job in recreating the environments that this group of escapees had to go through. He really told the harsh conditions frightfully accurate. What he failed to do was properly establish his characters. We know that the main character, Janusz (Jim Sturgess), was put into the camp at the beginning by his own wife. We understand his dilemma and his desire to get back to his wife (who was brutally tortured — or so it was implied). We understand his drive and dedication. The rest of the men, and the single girl, we never fully got to know. They just seemed along for the ride, but didn’t give much rhyme or reason (or solid purpose) for being there. For example, Ed Harris’ character Mr. Smith doesn’t really have a background; other than being old. He’s American and that’s as much as we know about him. Yet we don’t really know what drives him to escape or what specifically motivates him to keep the journey to freedom moving forward. You can say it was all based on ‘freedom’, but that’s sort of a generic excuse. He wants out, but why? Who is this guy? How did he really end up here? There’s got to be more depth with this character and there is simply none to go around. That’s how all the characters other than Janusz are established. More character development, less skipping around would have made this movie simply epic.
With that complaint aside, the journey is still something to behold. Not many people know about this part of World War II, but it’s certainly something they should learn. This is a great place to start.
Now, a very majestic part of the Blu-ray is the HD quality. Considering that Weir’s crew picked some very diverse locations to shoot The Way Back it is no surprise that the HD looks marvelous. There is little to no grain and artifacts in the picture, even during the sand storm scene. The make-up and the worn faces of the characters really frightfully shine through in nearly perfect HD. If you want to go through steps of dehydration without actually experiencing it then you’re in for a regretful treat thanks to the quality of the film. One thing I would like to mention is that the music from Burkhard Dallwitz needs to be commended. It sounds damn good in mastered 5.1 DTS-HD. The music drives the piece pretty well.
As for features, it’s really just got a long featurette and a movie trailer. Normally I would certainly chastise a Blu-ray for such things, but the featurette is really long. You get great interviews with actors and crews, and everything about the film is completely broken down. I think the only thing missing from the special features is probably some director/cast commentary, but take what you can get. The featurette is in SD, but you’ll be hooked to what the cast/crew have to say about the production from beginning to end. It’s a very good feature.