Customer Reviews

Alaska [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I can't believe that "Alaska" isn't getting better reviews than it is. A movie doesn't have to be one of the best ever to be a great movie. I thought it was a good all around movie. Two teens go on a search for their father after his plane crashes and the police show that they're not willing to search for him as much as the kids think they should be. Along the way, the kids run into poachers and they find a friendly polar bear that follows them the rest of the way trying to protect them. They have to find their father and then figure out a way to rescue him.

"Alaska" works well as a good adventure movie and it realistically shows family drama at the beginning of the movie. Surprisingly, parts of it such as when the kids are trying to save their dad, are even exciting. All the way through the movie you'll see spectacular scenery, which goes along great with the plot. Myself, I liked "Alaska" and I don't see why a lot of people don't like it that much, except for maybe that they're expecting too much from the movie. Just don't watch "Alaska" and expect it to be like a movie blockbuster, just watch it like it's a regular Tv movie, and you should like it pretty well. I recommend this movie for anybody.

ALASKA is a good ol', straight forward, adventure film reminiscent of the type of programming shown on THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY tv anthology show back in the 60's and 70's. Good,solid, family entertainment with great location shots of the Alaskan wilderness. While delivering supplies, bush pilot Jake Barnes' (Dirk Benedict) plane is downed during a snow storm. Then, his son and daughter, Sean and Jessie, (Vincent Kartheiser and Thora Birch) take it upon themselves to find him and trek through the remote Alaskan wilderness and rivers. They run into two poachers (Perry and Ben) and let loose an illegally captive baby polar bear. The cub immediately 'adopts' the two kids as his new friends and follows them on their trek. Not too complicated, but entertaining nontheless with some narrow escapes and decent action sequences along with some light emotional scenes. Good to see actor Dirk Benedict (A-TEAM, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) doing some work along with veteran Charlton Heston in an uncharacteristic villian role as one of the poachers. He's probably in the film because his son Fraser C. Heston directed.

This movie tells the story of two young people, Jessie and Sean, who have moved to Alaska with their father after their mother's death. Jessie is making the best of the move, but Sean is very unhappy that he has been uprooted from his home in Chicago. When their father's plane crashes during what was to have been a routine flight, Jessie and Sean decide to rescue him. What follows is totally unbelievable, but there is some exciting action during the rescue and the scenery is spectacular. Mostly designed as a children's movie, the scenery is probably the best part for adults.

When a Pilot (Dirk Benedict) Crash landed in the mountains of British Columbia, there`s no way, he could contact someone to help him or getting out of the mountain. When the father kids (Vincent Kartheiser & Thora Birch) are sure, they could help thier father, while they are followed by a Orphaned Cup. When an Animal Hunter (Oscar-Winner:Charlton Heston) is seaching for the Cub and Wanting the Kill the Animal.

Directed by Fraser Clarke Heston (Needful Things) has made an entertaining (At times unbelivable) adventure for the whole family, This film has gorgeous Panoramic shots of Glaciers and Forests are all in a Plus. This is a very underrated film. The young and old will have a good time with this. DVD is also in Widescreen and it has Pan & Scan format. Super 35. Grade:B.

Sure this isn't an epic film that will rival the "Ten Commandments;" and knowing the Republican mind of gun toting Charleston Heston I am sure that this was an effort to keep his kid, the director of the film, off the dreaded bread lines in east L.A. But all in all this is a film that has kept my six year old grandson and my eight year old grand daughter glued to the TV/VCR when they come over the house for some fun times. I have a formidable collection of kids' videos, but the one that has just about worn out because it has been viewed so often is our copy of Alaska. This is a soft story of a crisis in a kid's world that challenges the kids involved to rise above it, and eventually with patience, time, ingenuity, and perseverence the problem is solved. What more do we want to have our children and grandchildren see happen? Too much realism destroys dreams, and dreams are what make things happen. Besides Charlton portrays a gun toting bad guy and that is worth the price of the video to see.

I saw the film on Encore (television) and liked it because of the beauty and because of the animals. I purchased it for my great grandson (seven) who is stationed with his parents at Eielson AFB, Alaska. (Hey, I am not an objective reviewer when animals are involved--just pictures of them cavorting in their natural habitat is enough to make a good film for me!) This is a children's film--lost father rescued by determined kids, heavy-handed, mean-faced bad guys out-smarted by children and their father, all the while fighting the elements with the grandeur of nature either helping or hindering them. Like all good children's films, however, it appeals to adults if it is well-done. ALASKA appealed to me--I enjoyed it.

Thrilling mixed emotions is what you'll encounter after and while watching the Alaska a hit family film directed in 1996 by the famous director Fraser Heston. This movie not only has a strong family message but it is packed full of various emotions. The emotions range from totally down in the dumps sadness, example when a polar bear gets shot by pothers to thrilling happiness when the father is rescued. The real reason for watching this movie I think is a totally cute polar bear named Cubby. This young bear's mother is killed by pothers in the area; which I what I was talking about earlier. Cubby plays a major part helping two kids which named are 13 year old Jessie ( Thora Birch )and 15 year old Sean (Vincent Kartheiser ), find there missing father which disappeared during an emergency flight.

ALASKA is a great "FAMILY MOVIE". And it may sound a little "lame" and "unrealistic" to some people but it's a movie that most kids will enjoy...even adults. ALASKA is about a brother and a sister who's family moved to a tiny island in Alaska after their mother died. Their father becomes a delivery pilot and goes off one day to deliver toliet paper, not knowing that there's a huge storm coming up (this is, of course, after the son and father just had a huge fight and after the son told the father he wished his father had died instead of his mother). When his jet plane crashes into the Alaskan wildnerness - actually into a huge mountain - and the kids realize that their father is missing. Even though the police say he's dead the next day because they can't find him, the son insists that his father is still alive and goes out to search for him...followed by his sister, who at first doesn't agree with his searching but goes after him anyway, claiming that she's the only one who knows how to survive out there. Anyway, while out searching, the two kids meet two poochers traveling alone. They find the poochers' camp site and find the polar bear cub, who's mother had been killed by the poochers. After they set the cub free, the baby cub starts following them as they go on in search for their father.

ALASKA is a really great film, although like in many kids' movies, it's pretty predictable. Still, the casting is great with excellent acting. Also, the setting of the film looks very realistic...the scenary for the movie is amazing! (I don't know if they actually filmed the movie in Alaska...but it sure does look that way!) So even if you don't really care much for seeing this movie, you should at least check out the scenary of the movie because the scenary is incredible! Once again, a great film for all ages.

Overall, I really liked watching this movie with kids from 10-13 years old. The bear cub is a cute idea to keep younger children interested but not very believeable since polar bears don't live in the mountains. There is some character development as the boy, Sean, regrets mean things he said to his father and appreciates and uses the skills he has learned from him. There is a strong femaale, the sister, good to see in a kids' movie. The special effects are really quite well done.

I only have two real gripes. First is the needless swearing of the "bad guys". Lots of "dammit" all through the movie.

Second,the climax, where Cubby takes the end of the rope and supposedly saves the father, is a disappointment. Up until then Cubby has just been a distracting side bar. Just when we are engaged in the most exciting part of the movie and there is an opportunity for the children to really pull off a heroic deed, it is Cubby who grabs the tail of the rope and gnaws on it to save the dad.

The scenery is beautiful. There are wonderful shots of a glacier, kayaking on open water, canoeing on a river, and rock climbing that just make me want to hop a plane to Alaska. The writing and editing are well done. The characters are believable for the most part (it is a children's movie, after all).

There are a few other minor problems. The father is in the open on a snowy mountain for 3 days with no blanket but doesn't seem to suffer from hypothermia. The police give up the search way to early. And the kids don't leave a note or anything about where they are going when they take off for the Devil's Thumb Pass to find their father.

I think parents should watch this with their kids and point these things out as they watch the movie. This can be a good way to teach critical thinking.

This is an exciting, beautiful movie with something for everyone in the family. Have fun with it.

Both the river stunts and the nature photography in this picture are excellent, but the plot is mostly unbelievable.
A man exposed in a small airplane in sub-freezing temperature for a week may live two days, maybe if he has really warm clothes.
Not a week while his kids hike in...
And the bear cub attaching itself to the teenagers: that doesn't seem likely either.
Most of the plot is a Dizzy type made for kids movie.The most believable thing in the movie is the Carlton Heston villain of a helicopter poacher!