Eight Below

It would seem that I’ve been selling Paul Walker short all these years. In all his movies he’s come across as a soft-spoken huggable teddy bear; not the six-foot-three-inch grandson of a pro boxer who could plausibly be a physical threat to Vin Diesel. Which brings me to Eight Below. Until I did my research the idea of Paul surviving in the brutal Antarctic cold seemed laughable.

But then this is a Walt Disney Movie, (which probably explains the over-inflated price), shot in British Columbia, Greenland, and Norway, written by Japanese authors, and costumed with the latest in hi-tech name-brand arctic-wear in the most brilliant of never-dirty colours. Homage to Paul Walker aside, this movie is about the eight dogs of the title and the devotion they bring forth in their owner—who interestingly is named Shepherd.

These are working dogs, not pets; that sleep outdoors even in Antarctica; must be approached with extreme caution; and run like the wind. Unlike their human masters they don’t wear hi-tech designer ware and they don’t use makeup—they may get their fur coats brushed mind you. In many ways this movie reminds one of March of the Penguins in it’s portrayal of the brutal reality of life on an ice sheet.

Although there is a happy ending here this is not a cuddly bedtime story for children. Some of the heroes die and some are severely injured. The movie makes a point of showing that this is not a hospitable environment and that even with the best that science has to offer—“if you have anything you don’t want to freeze, take it to bed with you.” Even with the latest in hi-tech gadgetry there are times when this place is inaccessible; or even when it is, going back to basics is the best policy. One is reminded of Scott who starved to death because, unlike Amundson who used dogs, he could not eat his gas-powered sleds.