Kon-Tiki
Starring PÃ¥l Sverre Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen
Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg
Before Marvels mighty denizen of Asgard took pop culture by storm, there was a real Thor whose true life journey inspired countless thrill seekers for years to come. Kon-Tiki tells the tale of Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahls famous 8,000 kilometer crossing of the Pacific ocean in 1947 that spawned a bestselling book and Oscar winning documentary. Armed with a crew of five men and a balsa wood raft, Heyerdahl sought to prove it was possible for pre-Columbian South Americans to cross the sea and settle in the Polynesian islands. The voyage lasted over 100 days and the crew faced numerous impediments from raging storms to hungry sharks.
Opting (against the advice of many filmmakers) for realism, directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg shot the film on the open ocean for maximum effect; the results are often stunning and sometimes deeply moving.
The movie plays out predictably but its easy to overlook the plots simplicity thanks to the strength of the visuals and the earnest performances from the actors, especially PÃ¥l Sverre Hagen, who channels Heyerdahls indomitable spirit masterfully.
Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the film is the obvious nod to old school cinematic adventures that relied less on cluttered special effects and frantic editing and more on well-paced storytelling.
Kon-Tiki only scratches the surface of the emotional range experienced by the voyagers but succeeds in creating a marvelous visual feast that reminds us all why heroes dont always need to fall from the sky and carry a big hammer.
