An urban teenager journeys to Montana to hunt big game with his estranged father. Father and son struggle to connect, until a brutal encounter in the heart of the wilderness changes everything.
David (Josh Wiggins), an urban teenager, journeys to rural Montana to hunt big game with his estranged, "off the grid" father, Cal (Matt Bomer). As they ascend deep into the wilderness, father and son struggle to connect on any level, until a brutal encounter leaves them both with serious injuries, forcing them into a struggle to survive. Based on the American short story "Walking Out."
According to the directors Christian Bale was almost cast in the role of Cal. Ultimately Bale decided against playing the part because he didn't want to spend time away from his family in a remote location so soon after the birth of his second child. See more »
Goofs
Cal (Matt Bomer) tells David (Josh Wiggins) not to eat snow, as it takes more water to process snow into water, than the snow gives you, calling it a sure way to dehydration. This is incorrect. All one needs to process snow into virtually pure water, is heat, and very little of that, which the body readily provides. Eating frozen snow could, however, contribute to, or hasten hypothermia, especially in a state of compromised health, extreme cold, and diminished caloric intake.
Cal (or the screenwriter) may have confused eating snow with drinking seawater, which does take more water to process than it provides, to remove the salts, and will dehydrate a human body. See more »
Flashbacks like an after-school special are the device of choice to force the audience to care about the characters...this backfires, of course. Perhaps there is a film out there using flashbacks that isn't this weak and insipid. It's not JUST that, offensive and hack-y as they are. One never gets behind these characters. The actors try but the script is poor. The writer writes conflict but never creates it. We cannot get behind them. But we are constantly reminded that we're supposed to be behind them and there is supposed to be some deep reality to their lives. It's maybe an American pitfall these days. Just tell a story why don't you? Don't try to make us care. We will care if you give us something to care about. But not everyone is Graham Greene. There are other jobs in Hollywood, after all.
22 of 37 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
Flashbacks like an after-school special are the device of choice to force the audience to care about the characters...this backfires, of course. Perhaps there is a film out there using flashbacks that isn't this weak and insipid. It's not JUST that, offensive and hack-y as they are. One never gets behind these characters. The actors try but the script is poor. The writer writes conflict but never creates it. We cannot get behind them. But we are constantly reminded that we're supposed to be behind them and there is supposed to be some deep reality to their lives. It's maybe an American pitfall these days. Just tell a story why don't you? Don't try to make us care. We will care if you give us something to care about. But not everyone is Graham Greene. There are other jobs in Hollywood, after all.