Eight Below (C or 2/4 stars
'Eight Below' is a family film, so it is generally harmless & rated PG. However, aside from the beautiful cinematic/panoramic shots of Antarctica, the story doesn't resonate with me. For a Disney movie (directed by Frank Marshall), it lacks some 'Disney'. It is a far more serious film than it has to be.
Dr. McLaren (Bruce Greenwood) arrives in Antarctica via small aircraft that is piloted by Katie (Moon Bloodgood). Apparently, Antarctica is a hot spot for meteorites & he investigates rocks for scientific research. We see several shooting stars/what could be meteorites, gracing the sky at several points throughout the film. To search for these rocks, he enlists Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker), shepherd of 8 amazing sled dogs, to guide him through the snowy wilderness to a particular mountain that hasn't been excavated all year. Jerry has some serious reservations about taking himself, his beloved dogs, & this doctor to such an unsafe spot right before the winter season ends (where a certain thawing is expected ... giving way to possible avalanches, glacial sliding, & ice field melting). They press on because they are ordered to by Jerry's boss. Jerry's worse fears begin to come true when McLaren is injured & his star dog, Maya, has to rescue him in fine fashion.
We're now 40 minutes in & all is going well. But when a huge storm comes & the base has to be evacuated, Jerry 'has' to chain up his dogs & leave them behind whilst the humans depart. He believes that Katie will return with her plane & 'fetch' them, but she is told that no more flights can go back to Antarctica for the remainder of the season. So, the dogs would have to survive, in their chains, til next season. I was having a heart attack at this point, & so was Paul Walker's character. The next HOUR of this film shows the dogs fighting for survival (some truly inspiring, amazing, yet, devastating moments are shown). Also, sprinkled in this hour are scenes where Walker (with almost no onscreen charisma) sulks & wallows in misery because he can't fund or transport the dogs back to Antarctica. He's guilty that he left his dogs in the first place, & Hell, he should feel that guilt. These 'human' scenes are lifeless, joyless, & tepid; they drag on & on.
I realize this is a Disney film, but where is 'any' solid acting? Why isn't Jason Biggs' comedic flair used more so to counteract the steady hopelessness of the situation? Where's the loveable story that I was waiting for? Where are the happy moments? And from the trailers that this was an action-adventure film in which Jerry Shepherd and his brave dogs had to survive the perils of the wilderness 'together'. Instead, the dogs are left for themselves for the entire movie. Obviously, no dialogue is going on during those scenes. The dogs' actions DO speak for themselves. But any dialogue that we heard ... was coming from this very unconvincing, unexcitable screenplay. Furthermore, I know that most Disney films try to teach lessons. And I know that almost every, if not every Disney film showcases death as a life reality. But it is a little overkill (no pun intended) for me here.
On a good note, I reiterate that the dogs in this movie are truly special. There are some heart-tingling moments displayed on screen (the interaction between the dogs and how smart they really are). And there's a terrific scene where the heroic dogs find some food but have to fight the terrifying leopard seal (an actual Antarctic mammal that is spotted as a leopard is and is MUCH larger than any seal I was ever aware of; the seal looks Jurassic). 'Eight Below' is not a bad movie; I have seen far worse Disney films. But I'm sad that it isn't better. Many a child in the theater I was in was either snoring or infinitely bored with this lengthy film. There are morsels of greatness in 'Eight Below' (as expected), but far too many moments had me shaking my head with unexpected disappointment.
Dr. McLaren (Bruce Greenwood) arrives in Antarctica via small aircraft that is piloted by Katie (Moon Bloodgood). Apparently, Antarctica is a hot spot for meteorites & he investigates rocks for scientific research. We see several shooting stars/what could be meteorites, gracing the sky at several points throughout the film. To search for these rocks, he enlists Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker), shepherd of 8 amazing sled dogs, to guide him through the snowy wilderness to a particular mountain that hasn't been excavated all year. Jerry has some serious reservations about taking himself, his beloved dogs, & this doctor to such an unsafe spot right before the winter season ends (where a certain thawing is expected ... giving way to possible avalanches, glacial sliding, & ice field melting). They press on because they are ordered to by Jerry's boss. Jerry's worse fears begin to come true when McLaren is injured & his star dog, Maya, has to rescue him in fine fashion.
We're now 40 minutes in & all is going well. But when a huge storm comes & the base has to be evacuated, Jerry 'has' to chain up his dogs & leave them behind whilst the humans depart. He believes that Katie will return with her plane & 'fetch' them, but she is told that no more flights can go back to Antarctica for the remainder of the season. So, the dogs would have to survive, in their chains, til next season. I was having a heart attack at this point, & so was Paul Walker's character. The next HOUR of this film shows the dogs fighting for survival (some truly inspiring, amazing, yet, devastating moments are shown). Also, sprinkled in this hour are scenes where Walker (with almost no onscreen charisma) sulks & wallows in misery because he can't fund or transport the dogs back to Antarctica. He's guilty that he left his dogs in the first place, & Hell, he should feel that guilt. These 'human' scenes are lifeless, joyless, & tepid; they drag on & on.
I realize this is a Disney film, but where is 'any' solid acting? Why isn't Jason Biggs' comedic flair used more so to counteract the steady hopelessness of the situation? Where's the loveable story that I was waiting for? Where are the happy moments? And from the trailers that this was an action-adventure film in which Jerry Shepherd and his brave dogs had to survive the perils of the wilderness 'together'. Instead, the dogs are left for themselves for the entire movie. Obviously, no dialogue is going on during those scenes. The dogs' actions DO speak for themselves. But any dialogue that we heard ... was coming from this very unconvincing, unexcitable screenplay. Furthermore, I know that most Disney films try to teach lessons. And I know that almost every, if not every Disney film showcases death as a life reality. But it is a little overkill (no pun intended) for me here.
On a good note, I reiterate that the dogs in this movie are truly special. There are some heart-tingling moments displayed on screen (the interaction between the dogs and how smart they really are). And there's a terrific scene where the heroic dogs find some food but have to fight the terrifying leopard seal (an actual Antarctic mammal that is spotted as a leopard is and is MUCH larger than any seal I was ever aware of; the seal looks Jurassic). 'Eight Below' is not a bad movie; I have seen far worse Disney films. But I'm sad that it isn't better. Many a child in the theater I was in was either snoring or infinitely bored with this lengthy film. There are morsels of greatness in 'Eight Below' (as expected), but far too many moments had me shaking my head with unexpected disappointment.