The Way Back, directed by Peter Weir (Master and Commander, The Truman Show), is about an epic journey to freedom during World War II. The film is about survival and the desperation of this group of people who want to be free even if it results in their death. They will die trying just for a chance to be human beings again. It has a great cast to tell a horrific yet uplifting story, but The Way Back is a little too long and should have more of an emotional impact than it does.
Janusz (Jim Sturgess), Valka (Colin Farrell), and an American named Mr. Smith (Ed Harris), along with some other soldiers, escape a Siberian gulag and hike 4,000 miles, including a walk through the Himalayas, into India where freedom awaits. Along the way, they meet Irena (Saoirse Ronan), whose parents have been killed and now is left all alone. Their expedition takes them through the harshest, most brutal conditions – most of them will not make it. They have to walk through severe winter storms and boiling, dry deserts while trying to keep hydrated and keep everyone fed. It is an excruciating experience but it was worth it for these people if it meant a shot at being free.
Weir is able to fill the camera with a great, talented cast. The characters have certain traits and suspicions about each other, but they seem so simple and controlled. Considering the circumstances, you would expect a little bit of chaos or tension between the group, but there is very little at all. It is not something that would ruin the film but I do find it kind of odd. But the performances are strong, especially from Sturgess and Harris.
There is one main component that adds to the film and that is the landscape and scenery. It is its own character. The environment is just as important as the journey itself, and Weir captures all of it with beauty and grace. The journey is grueling, but it becomes a slow process with not much danger or suspense. Either a character dies and they bury them, or they just choose to go their own way. It becomes predictable. As the audience, we either see their pain or death and nothing more or nothing less.
The Way Back is Weir’s first film since Master and Commander in 2003. He does a terrific job depicting their journey and their struggles. The land in which they must cross is breathtaking to see onscreen. While the story is undeniably inspiring and heartbreaking, there is a level the film cannot get to. The drama and emotion are there at times, but it is mainly forgotten. It is simply the telling of a journey and you know someone has to make it. When they finally do, you feel just as tired as the characters. A shorter running time with some more feeling and thrills would have made this film more exciting and easier to sit through. But The Way Back is still a good film with a director and a group of great actors who take us on one hell of a meaningful trip.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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