Eight Below: B
BY PATRICIA DRAZNIN
In 1958, 15 sled huskies led a Japanese expedition through the
arctic. Scientists Ushioda and Ochi grew very attached to the dog team, especially
to alpha dogs Taro and Jiro. But they had to leave the team behind to serve
the next expedition. And the mission got canceled. The canines were left to
survive the arctic winter alone. When the distraught Ushioda and Ochi joined
the very next expedition to search for the remains of their beloved dog team,
they found Taro and Jiro alive. This true story of a miraculous reunion inspired
the 1983 Japanese blockbuster Nankyoku Monogatari (Antarctica), a cinematic
revelation about the bond between man and beast, and about surviving the most
unforgiving climate on earth.
Disney’s Eight Below delivers the next generation saga based on
this same event. The emotional tale features eight sled dogs banding together
to endure the arctic winter, mingled with an engaging but childishly executed
story about the young and beautiful people who care about them. Unlike
its predecessor, the Disney effort stars Paul Walker, Jason Biggs, and
Moon Bloodgood, the not-old-enough-to-be-seasoned pioneers who exchange
thin dialogue and descend into the South Pole wearing unzipped jackets.
With the Disney musical score going doodley-doo.
But never mind. The dogs are what we’re here for: Max, Maya, Jack,
Buck, Dewey, Shadow, Shorty, and Truman. These are the stars of the show.
Filmed in the frosty forgotten landscapes of Greenland, Norway, and Canada,
Eight Below refers not only to the chilling temperatures but to eight sled
dogs chained together at the bottom of the earth with nothing to save them
but their own willpower and spirit of cooperation. Watching these commanding
animals is nothing short of heart throbbing as their riveting adventure
tells the story of determination and the power of the pack. You’ll
never root harder for any other team.
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