EIGHT BELOW

Action adventure

BACKGROUND
Antarctica is the southernmost, coldest, windiest, highest and driest continent on Earth. No one owns Antarctica and no one needs a visa to visit. Ninety-eight percent ice and 2 percent rock, it is the planet's fifth largest continent with no indigenous human population. It is home to several species of penguin, seal, and in the summer, several bird species. During the three months of summer (mid-November to mid-February) there are 20 hours of sunlight a day and temperature sometimes rises to a “balmy” –5º F.

McMurdo Station on Ross Island, founded in the 1950s, is America's largest base on the continent. It is part mining camp, part Navy base, part scientific facility. The National Science Foundation frequently funds projects of interest to the scientific community.

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Paul Walker: Survival guide Jerry Shephard
Jason Biggs: his best friend, cartographer Charlie “Coop” Cooper
Moon Bloodgood: bush pilot, Katie
Bruce Greenwood: Dr. Davis “Doc” McLaren, geologist

REVIEW
A simple story based on real events that took place in the ‘50’s where the sled dogs outshine the humans in terms of compassion and understanding. A tad too long at two hours and sometimes repetitive, it is still nice to see how people cope in one of the most brutal environments in the world. The acting is low key and for the most part quite believable.

CLASSIFICATION
for some peril and brief mild language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
When Jerry approaches the chief Naval officer he addresses him as Commander. In the Navy, the rank of Commander is indicated by three stripes on the epaulet, not four.

The Aurora Australis (Antarctica’s equivalent to the Northern Lights) occurs in the upper atmosphere. These displays of light are not bright enough to cause reflections on earth some 60 to 70 miles below.

Jerry takes a cab to Dr. McLaren’s home. The telephone area code in Pasadena is 626 not 370 as shown on the taxi’s rooftop ad carrier.

P.S.
Although the dogs are a joy to watch, the movie is not one for young children since some dogs die and others get hurt. Also, there is one “heart-stopping scene” when the dogs approach the frozen corpse of a a killer whale.