Customer Reviews

Pathfinder

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This film, based on an ancient Sami legend, is a coming-of-age story about a boy who witnesses his family's murder by a brutal gang of thieves. How he deals with these murderers, while protecting the rest of his tribe, makes up the principal plot. The movie is simple--simple plot, simple dialogue, simple (but stunning) visuals, and this simplicity lends a great deal of strength to this work. Everything unnecessary has been cut away, much like the lives of the Sami people, a tribal group closely tied to an unforgiving landscape and climate (Lappland).

Although most of the film is action, there is a wonderful relationship that develops between the boy and the tribe's shaman, or "pathfinder." They have only a couple of conversations before fate separates them, but in those brief exchanges the pathfinder imparts all the knowledge the boy needs to take up the mantle of pathfinder himself.

This film is beautifully crafted, well-paced, and provides a wonderful portrait of a culture which has much to teach.

I first saw Pathfinder during my first weeks in Norway as an exchange student. The spoken language in the film is a reconstruction of old Sami and the version I saw initially was subtitled in Norwegian. Despite understanding little of the dialog, the predator-prey dynamic made Pathfinder one of the most suspenseful movies I have ever seen. I've since seen it subtitled in English (and Norwegian after I had learned the language) and I now consider it a cinematic great, well deserving of its Academy Award nomination due to a powerful story, breathtaking landscapes and cultural significance. Who knew a folktale could be so exciting?

This is the first ever feature film in the Lapp language. It tells the 1000 year old story of the young boy Aigin who sacrificed himself in leading the enemies of his people into dangerous cliffs instead of straight to their village. The freezing temperature and the fast-paced, hot action creates a tension which peaks with an extraordinary, digital soundtrack. The lapps are attacked by a band of tchudes, an ancient band of thieves and murderers coming from what may be Russia, and their impressivelive bleak costumes is a resemblance to Ninja warriors of todays Hong Kong action. Director Niels Gaup have succeeded in making a cultural effort combined with intriguing action.

This is a wonderful and unique movie. The environment is beautifully filmed and plays a major role in its own right. The plot is honest and inspiring, a classic. The movie really needs a widescreen DVD release though, with a high-quality transfer. VHS pan-and-scan does not do it justice. It is amazing that brain-dead Hollywood movies come out on DVD before fine films like this one.

This film tells the story of a young man whose family is killed by bandits, and who must achieve maturity and risk his life for the good of his community. It is set in the winter in Lappland, a beautiful but unforgiving environment. There is no false sentimentality, and the world of the pre industrial people who cope with this harsh environment is fully realized. It is the kind of story that must have been told around the fireside, and passed down through the generations. I loved it, and strongly recommend it.

This Sami legend is brilliantly set in cinematography that uses snow as well as Lawrence of Arabia used sand. It is a story of myth, and coming of age, of the presence of spirit in everyday choices, and the ongoing generations of existence. Highly recommended as art, also excellent for a discussion of ethics. The violence is not gratuitous. Good triumphs with some sorrow over evil. Everyone who participated in the film is Sami, which is also unique, and evokes an added sense of the timelessness of their existence.

Information note: Lapp is a derogatory word no longer acceptable; the people call themselves the Sami. Sami is the best word for use in English as well. Thank you.

Quite simply, this is a stunning film, a window into a tribal way of life that has disappeared from Europe. The only film that can compare is Eric Valli's "Himalaya" which does for the Tibetans what "Pathfinder" does for the Sami.

This film needs to be reissued on DVD. It is just too powerful not to be.

This is a WONDERFUL film! Many people are hesitant to watch foreign movies because they think that there is something elitist about them. DO NOT buy into this type of snobbery. These are really enjoyable movies in which the characters just happen to be speaking a different language. Many also think that foreign movies are only for adults. Pathfinder is a great opportunity to introduce your teenagers to really good movies instead of the lousy teen movies in American theaters and video stores now. This one is more exciting than just about anything that has come out of America in many years. This one REALLY deserves a widescreen DVD release. But until then, do yourself a favor and get this movie.

I saw this film in a theater years ago and was smitten by it. The German Region 2/PAL DVD is even better than the LaserDisc I used to watch. With it, the soundtrack may be switched to English in a pinch, but the original Lapp with subtitles conveys much more.

The story is truly epic, yet told in a modest 88 minutes, and it is no wonder the Sami people passed this story down -- much like the Inuit tale of the Fast Runner. The young pathfinder is a true hero, cunning and brave. The film has terror, tragedy and still finds time for humor. It is as close to perfect as a film can be.

Buy a used tape if you must, but see this film!

This movie is on my Top Ten list. The movie is based on a Saami legend. I know it is hard to find this movie on DVD in the English speaking countries and I wonder why Nils Gaup, the Director, hasn't made up his mind to get it distributed with English subtitles. The updated version of this movie, Ofelas, has been out in Norway on DVD for a couple of years now, but there are only Norwegian subtitles, sorry to say. But it's possible to watch the movie and understand the story without the subtitles. It's very visual and easy to understand. Order it from [...].