ALIVE. Directed by Frank Marshall; written by John Patrick Shanley; produced by Robert Watts and Kathleen Kennedy for Touchstone. Starring Ethan Hawke, Josh Hamilton and Vincent Spano. Rated R.
More reviews by —
TITLE:
RATING:
It would probably be unwise to see Alive just before taking a flight on a small airplane. Particularly over any mountains. (On the other hand, it will make you want to see more of the British Columbian Rockies, which subbed for the Andes in the filming.)
But it's an excellent movie: well written and acted, emotionally moving, and set in breathtaking (literally) scenery. It might last just a bit too long. But when you consider its subject matter—the true story of the survival of 16 Uruguayan rugby players in the mountains for 10 weeks—the extra length could be just making a point about the experience.
The crash which begins the movie is almost too graphic, giving a detailed, realistic (I suppose) picture of exactly what happens when a plane meets a mountain.
And the same level of realism is kept up throughout the movie. The real survivors were questioned about everything from brands of cigarettes to the kind of clothes they were wearing, and the production tried to recreate all these details. The various injuries suffered by many of the passengers are likewise shown in graphic fashion, making the movie one that squeamish viewers will probably want to avoid altogether.
The moviemakers' decision to "go graphic" extends to the cannibalism that the survivors were forced to engage in, as well. But this aspect of their experience isn't sensationalized; their ambivalence and reluctance is well-portrayed. And when they finally decide that it must be done, the scene is handled with respect, and almost reverence. All the same, the explicit nature of the action will certainly disturb some viewers.
The cast, made up mostly of little-known performers, is appealing and convincing as the group of young athletes. I particularly like Hamilton as a medical student and Hawke as the strong-willed hero, characters who are responsible for the eventual rescue.
All of the cast deserves some special notice, though, making it through what must have been a very difficult shoot. The movie was filmed more or less in sequence, according to the studio, and the actors lived on a very low-calorie diet during this time, actually losing a good bit of weight in the process. The haggard looks they have when the rescuers finally come are not solely due to makeup.
January 27, 1993