Year: 2018
Director: Albert Hughes
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Natassia Malthe, and Jens Hulten
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, Natassia Malthe, and Jens Hulten
Tagline: Leaders are born from survival
Synopsis: Around the time of the last ice age, a young man gets separated from his tribe. In order to survive he befriends man's best friend.
Synopsis: Around the time of the last ice age, a young man gets separated from his tribe. In order to survive he befriends man's best friend.
Review
There's something wonderful about a well-told story. Even if it is a simple, familiar story, when it is told with skill and sincerity, it can be a thing of beauty. That's the case with Alpha.
The story takes place during the last ice age, when men were hunter/gatherers in tribes. Keda is a young man on the cusp of adulthood and has finally earned the right to journey with his father and others of his tribe to an annual bison hunt. Far from home, Keda gets separated from his father and friends and is left for dead. The rest of the story follows his journey home. On his way, he takes in, cares for, tames, and befriends an injured wolf, who he names "Alpha." Together they face what nature throws at them during their quest to survive. Thus is forged the bond between men and dogs (well, future dogs).
Is Alpha historically or scientifically accurate? Probably not, or at least not entirely. Did I care while watching the film? Not in the slightest. Instead, it is the almost mythological version of boy meets dog that all dog-lovers want to believe in. Alpha is emotionally accurate and thus emotionally satisfying.
Alpha is also beautiful. If the cinematography doesn't get nominated for an Oscar next year, I'll be seriously surprised and disappointed. It's not just that the scenery is gorgeous, the framing of the shots is beautiful too. There's also a shot with a masterful use of slow motion. But my favorite shot is a sort of split screen moment. Part of the scene is in the trailer, so I'm not spoiling anything here. The bottom of the shot is underwater, with Keda trapped under the ice of a dark blue lake. The top of the shot is Alpha on top of the ice surrounded by wintery white. I don't care if the shot required green screens and/or CGI; the shot is epic and amazing.
The filmmakers made an interesting choice for the language of the film. Instead of being in English, the dialogue is in an unknown foreign language, one that sounds sufficiently prehistoric. The movie is then subtitled. As a former film student, reading subtitles is no big deal to me. I thought it was a neat touch really. And there's not a lot of dialogue in the story to begin with.
There was only one thing in the film that I found fault with. For all the realism of the settings, the clothes, the way of life, and the language, Keda has absolutely perfect teeth. It is only in a few shots where there is a close-up that includes his teeth, but they are so bright white and straight that it is jarring. It was enough to throw off my suspension of disbelief for a moment. The makeup team dropped the ball there.
The film is rated PG-13. Alpha is a survival story, which means our heroes must survive all sorts of peril from both beasts and the elements. There are deaths. There are injuries. Nothing is ever graphic though. I only looked away when Keda was eating still squirming bugs. Bleh.
If you love dogs and the role they play in our lives, I recommend seeing Alpha. And even if you are a cat person, you can still go and enjoy a beautiful, well-told, well-acted, survival/coming-of-age story.
*** Spoiler Section ***
In case you are worried, Alpha lives to become part of Keda's tribe (because he lives too). The film's final shot is pretty epic: the tribe of hunters - in silhouette - walking forward, joined by Alpha and her grown pups. Man and man's best friend: united.
The story takes place during the last ice age, when men were hunter/gatherers in tribes. Keda is a young man on the cusp of adulthood and has finally earned the right to journey with his father and others of his tribe to an annual bison hunt. Far from home, Keda gets separated from his father and friends and is left for dead. The rest of the story follows his journey home. On his way, he takes in, cares for, tames, and befriends an injured wolf, who he names "Alpha." Together they face what nature throws at them during their quest to survive. Thus is forged the bond between men and dogs (well, future dogs).
Is Alpha historically or scientifically accurate? Probably not, or at least not entirely. Did I care while watching the film? Not in the slightest. Instead, it is the almost mythological version of boy meets dog that all dog-lovers want to believe in. Alpha is emotionally accurate and thus emotionally satisfying.
Alpha is also beautiful. If the cinematography doesn't get nominated for an Oscar next year, I'll be seriously surprised and disappointed. It's not just that the scenery is gorgeous, the framing of the shots is beautiful too. There's also a shot with a masterful use of slow motion. But my favorite shot is a sort of split screen moment. Part of the scene is in the trailer, so I'm not spoiling anything here. The bottom of the shot is underwater, with Keda trapped under the ice of a dark blue lake. The top of the shot is Alpha on top of the ice surrounded by wintery white. I don't care if the shot required green screens and/or CGI; the shot is epic and amazing.
The filmmakers made an interesting choice for the language of the film. Instead of being in English, the dialogue is in an unknown foreign language, one that sounds sufficiently prehistoric. The movie is then subtitled. As a former film student, reading subtitles is no big deal to me. I thought it was a neat touch really. And there's not a lot of dialogue in the story to begin with.
There was only one thing in the film that I found fault with. For all the realism of the settings, the clothes, the way of life, and the language, Keda has absolutely perfect teeth. It is only in a few shots where there is a close-up that includes his teeth, but they are so bright white and straight that it is jarring. It was enough to throw off my suspension of disbelief for a moment. The makeup team dropped the ball there.
The film is rated PG-13. Alpha is a survival story, which means our heroes must survive all sorts of peril from both beasts and the elements. There are deaths. There are injuries. Nothing is ever graphic though. I only looked away when Keda was eating still squirming bugs. Bleh.
If you love dogs and the role they play in our lives, I recommend seeing Alpha. And even if you are a cat person, you can still go and enjoy a beautiful, well-told, well-acted, survival/coming-of-age story.
*** Spoiler Section ***
In case you are worried, Alpha lives to become part of Keda's tribe (because he lives too). The film's final shot is pretty epic: the tribe of hunters - in silhouette - walking forward, joined by Alpha and her grown pups. Man and man's best friend: united.
Quotable Quotes
- "Raise your head and your eyes will follow." -- Tau to Keda
- "You are my tribe." -- Keda to Alpha
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