Kon Tiki (2012)

Thor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian adventurer and ethnographer who researched and developed a theory that the original settlers of Polynesia came from South America and not Asia as originally believed by his contemporary geographers. To prove his theory, Heyerdahl sailed from Peru on a raft made of balsa trees, reeds and rope. Together with a small crew of devoted fellow Norwegians, he proved the received wisdom was wrong.

This event took place in 1947 and for many teenagers who read his book or saw his documentary of the voyage, it became a 20^th Century legend that some could feel closer too than the other amazing tales of adventure such as the Poles and Everest.

The concept of sailing on a raft across 5000 miles of hostile ocean, although somewhat unbelievable if you tried to to explain it to those who have not known the Kon-Tike story, is carefully, truthfully and beautifully transcribed to the film screen by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg. They tell the story as it was understood – unbelievable to some. But we know that it happened because of the accounts of the voyage in the press at the time and also the black and white footage of the documentary that Heyerdahl made. It would not have been right to have used this in a dramatization so Ronning and Sandberg insert black and white 8mm footage of the film cast looking as though they were the original crew. It needs a second look to convince you.

Early parts of the film have references in its film direction to Hitchcock and Polanski – an aerial shot of a Brooklyn street and the cold interior of Heyerdahl’s shabby apartment has echoes of their techniques. The directors give us a condensed story of how Heyerdahl tried to gather financial support in New York. The heart of the film is the voyage. Anticipating 100 days to reach Polynesia – the privations are put aside in favour of showing us the daring do and fear generated by natural ocean predators – whales, sharks and weather. There is an extraordinary violent and exciting scene where the men decide to fight these predators and it is not for the faint hearted. Other scenes make Spielberg’s film Jaws seem like a walk in the park. Survival seems to overtake the psychological differences of the crew who are carried along by the faith of their leader. Heyerdahl believes in his mission. “Believe? This is not a faith – this is madness!” shouts his fridge engineer compatriot. But they did make it and they succeeded in proving a theory that did not change the world but which remains as an extraordinary example of sea going bravery and courage.

The voyage was made in May 1947 and lasted nearly four months, the raft floating along natural ocean currents with the aid of one single sheet sail. One of Thor Heyerdahl’s strengths would appear to have been his good nature and sense of humour. This lightens the tension and endears him to us, while we also experience the strain on his family life. His loving relationship with his wife is referenced at the beginning and at the end – his achievement and gains countered by the personal loss of his marriage.

Three Men in a Boat this is not – but a wonderful testimony to courage and conviction as well as an antidote to all the other films out currently at Christmas.