42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Unlikely Survival, July 5, 2001
This review is from: Man in the Wilderness [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The story of Zachary Bass (actual historical character named Hugh Glass) and his survival and ultimate return to civilization is an exceptional example of the endurance of the human spirit, and Richard Harris is simply phenomenal in his protrayal. Mauled and left for dead, Bass must not only survive his wounds, the elements, and hostile enemies, but he must also come to terms with the very thing that, in the end, is his reason for living; the child that he left behind following the death of his wife. At first a story of simple survival and then revenge against those who left him for dead, the story gradually becomes one of intense love and longing. Harris has certainly done great work before and since, but this honest and truly gritty performance is one of the very best of his long career. And the realism brought to the story by use of actual location filming, amidst all types of weather, helps to bring this story to the forefront of "survivalist" movies. Yes, there is a bit of violence and brutality, but life in the 1820's was not for the weak of heart, and that fact is very honestly portrayed here. In addition to the outstanding Richard Harris, John Huston's portrayal of the venemous and cowardly Captain Henry is absolutely perfect! And fans of the original Star Trek character Scotty, watch for James Doohan in a completely different kind of role in this one! This is simply an outstanding film, and actually has a message to it that goes far beyond the "I'm gonna get you for that" genre some have placed it into. It is ultimately a story of just how far and how much the heart can heal us if we give it a chance. Don't miss out on this one any longer!
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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
SURVIVAL AGAINST ALL ODDS..., September 15, 2001
This review is from: Man in the Wilderness [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This is an excellent film with terrific performances by Richard Harris, as Zachary Bass, a frontier scout on an expedition in the Northwest territiories. The expedition is hauling a boat across some pretty rugged terrain and is led by a heartless old reprobate, Captain Henry, played with relish by John Huston. When Bass is badly mauled by a bear in a horrifying scene, Captain Henry orders two of his men to stay with Bass, whom he believes to be dying. He then orders them to shoot Bass, if he does not die within a specified time frame.
They stay with him, but Bass, seeing his life pass before him, refuses to die. As luck would have it, Indians are in the immediate vicinity, so the two men decide against shooting Bass, so as not to attract the attention of the Indians. Even though they know that Bass is struggling to live, they leave him to the vicissitudes of nature, and rejoin the expedition. They take his gun, as the venal Captain Henry had requested it, and leave Bass with nothing.
Bass struggles to stay alive. It is this struggle that grips the viewer. Bass has very little dialogue in this film. It is the strength of his will to live and to survive that dominates the screen. He prevails in his bid for survival. He fights to catch up with the expedition and the leader who had treated him so cruelly. When he does so, be prepared for the unexpected.
What happens to Bass is the story of the resilience of the human spirit and the indomitable will to survive against the odds. What is even more amazing is this film is actually based upon the true story of a folk hero of the Northwest named Hugh Glass. All in all, this an interesting and offbeat film with strong performances by Harris and Huston, as well as its supporting cast.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
DVD ???, January 30, 2004
This review is from: Man in the Wilderness [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Yet another wonderful movie that belongs on DVD. Richard Harris plays this movie without hardly saying a word. A great performance from a classic actor. Bring on the DVD version !!!
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