A family movie that is worth your time. The scenery alone is worth viewing. The shear beauty of the mountains and Lakes is deftly filmed. Also interesting to see Charlton Heston in one of his few heavy roles during a long career. The cast did a very creditable job on this movie. I rated this movie 7.
Alaska
1996
Action / Adventure / Family
Alaska
1996
Action / Adventure / Family
Plot summary
Jake Barnes and his two kids, Sean and Jessie, have moved to Alaska after his wife died. He is a former airline pilot now delivering toilet paper across the mountains. During an emergency delivery in a storm his plane goes down somewhere in the mountains. Annoyed that the authorities aren't doing enough, Jessie and Sean set out on an adventure to find their father with the help of a polar bear which they have saved from a ferocious poacher. Conflict ensues.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
A Worthy Effort
Great visuals, Entertaining, good actors, but not promoted enough
If you put A-team's Face, A future b-movie sex icon, and Ben-hur's...Ben-hur together, what do you have? the one and only Alaska.
6 months before, Jake barne's family had a great life in Chicago, until the fateful day that his wife died. then, he and his remaining family, Sean and Jessie Barnes, moved to Alaska to start a new life. while Sean is reluctant to the idea, the family moves anyways, and Sean immediately wants to return to the windy city.
so, Jake takes advantage of his pilot's license and becomes a bush pilot, while Jessie and Sean do whatever they feel like. So Jessie goes kayaking, dating a local native boy, and spends her time doing things a person in Alaska might do, while Sean spends his time playing street fighter: The movie arcade game at the local store. this is pretty much where the movie begins.
This movie, in my opinion, was very good. aside from a family that loved each other, it sported some awesome camera views and great scenery. unlike Grizzly mountain, which had next to no good acting or anything, except for scenery, this movie had decent acting. some parts were as cheesy as a pizza, but it was at least entertaining.
Unfortunately, i don't recall this movie being promoted as a classic or anything like that. which is disappointing because this movie is worthy of that, unlike some of the trash we're all fed these days that gets too much promotion.
and just like the cover says, it all leads up to a real cliffhanger. while other cliffhangers might make you laugh (Ultraviolet ring any bells?) this one will have you on the edge of your seat.
8/10
Spectacular Scenery, Corny Soundtrack
The Alaska scenery in this movie is spectacular and varies: sea, rivers, mountains, snow, rock, skies, shot with sweeping helicopter and crane shots.
But the soundtrack is embarrassing: like something out of the Ten Commandments, great blaring trumpets, soaring strings, Tibetan bass horns, South American flutes, tom toms, fanfares, all preposterously overblown like something of a bygone era. It was seriously distracting.
The dialog is silly, like something out of 50's cowboy and Indian dramas e.g. "Trust the bear" and "Dad, can we keep him?" The movie has no subtlety. Everything is spelled out with the explicitness of a TV sitcom.
The plot is utterly improbable, with various anomalies that distress, like packing no more than a sandwich for a four day hike without it turning into a problem. Even the bear finds a adoptive mother, something that never happens in real life. No bad guys were harmed in the making of this movie.
Cubby the orphaned polar bear cub is the star of the show, sort of like Wookie in Star Trek, who repeatedly saves the day from the evil poachers. It is a bit like the old Rin Tin Tin adventures, only Cubby is much cuter.
However, the movie far from boring. I could not help but fear for the actors creating the film because they do so many dangerous stunts. Kids or adults without problems suspending disbelief will most enjoy this film.