Kon Tiki (2013)

What would the world be without strongly determined adventurers like Thor Heyerdahl? The Norwegian, whose theory of a kinship between the peoples of South America and Polynesia, would take form of a 101 day-long voyage across the mighty Pacific Ocean. On a raft made of balsa wood no less. All to prove his hypothesis.

Ambitions are grand, with Heyerdahl as well as the film-makers, whose portrayal of his epic derring-do would result in the most expensive Norwegian picture to date. And it certainly shows, because there's not a frame that doesn't impress with its lavishly high production values.

Obstinate and uncompromising, it's difficult not to admire how Heyerdahl, despite a subject for ridicule and failing support, holds his optimism all the way through. Of course, a journey of this nature, where our main character and five other men share a small space together over an unpredictable ocean, is a hotbed for drama. Sumptuous as well as small-scale such, with tensions between the men, bloodthirsty sharks and the odd tempest or two.
In the association's most positive sense, my thoughts gravitated towards Jaws and Ang Lee's Life of Pi. Perhaps not fully as magical as these two films, but common denominators like well-developed characters and eye-catching special effects probably give the Norwegians reason enough to be proud of this nearly seamless tour-de-force.

Like many Swedish action films, however, it suffers a tad from the "Hollywood-wannabe"-syndrome. Mainly in the introduction, so it's nothing that gnaws in the long run, but it should be mentioned that it - particularly in the English-speaking parts - has its marginally pretentious moments. A little more wind in the sails wouldn't have hurt either, as the suspense is intermittently broken by a slow-going lull.

That the year is 1947 becomes very evident in the film's attribute as a character study. Each and every individual with their distinctive personality, whereof some have been strongly affected by the foregoing war. In triumph and adversity, we touch upon their souls, with Heyerdahl as the glue who enthusiastically keeps them together.

His theory may now have been disproved by the help of modern genetics, but that it's a life achievement worthy of the history books - as well as a film escapade deserving of its international kudos - remain as true as the ocean is blue.

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