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Long Way Down
Directed by: David Alexanian & Russ Malkin
Starring: Charley Boorman & Ewan McGregor
Genre:
Documentary/ Independent
Run Time: 510
min.
Release Date: June 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Traveling vicariously with Ewan McGregor (THE
ISLAND) and Charley Boorman in
LONG WAY ROUND, I was
pleased to see them continue their adventures in LONG WAY DOWN, a trip
from the top of Scotland to the bottom of Africa.
I thoroughly enjoyed Long Way Round. Their travels were tremendously
entertaining, with absent roadways, accidents, and playful banter that
made it a fun travelogue. It was also strange to see such out-of-the-way
places where roads vanished, streams swelled requiring special
crossings, and the people that turned out and took them in. It was a
microcosm event where we got inside the heads of both the travelers and
those they visited.
But things changed for the worse with Long Way Down.
First is the overuse of the helmet cameras and microphones. The sound
was often exceptionally muffled, forcing one to rewind the DVD and turn
up the volume in hopes of hearing what was said. The helmet cams, too,
gave poor quality video and were often grimy or rain-splattered, not
letting the viewer enjoy the sites around Africa and beyond.
And where Long Way Round started off with a bang, giving us some great
entertainment right from episode one, Long Way Down didn’t really
pick-up for me until episode four when we are fully entrenched in
Africa’s amazing countries.
It was also a bit perturbing to see so much time given over to their
time with UNICEF. Although I think this is a very worthy cause, it isn’t
why I like watching travel diaries like this. I want to experience the
road and the people and the countryside. Having it on the DVD’s extra
features was fine, which is where most of the UNICEF information
should’ve remained (I still would’ve watched the extras, too).
For those familiar with Long Way Round, they’ll be happy to learn that
Claudio is back in the saddle with our two boys, filming every move and
crashing and burning yet again! The guy needs to pay closer attention to
the road.
There’s been some negative comments made about Ewan’s wife’s choice to
join them on one leg of the journey. I thought this was excellent. She
turned out to be a good diversion for Ewan and Charley, as well as
quickly becoming an adequate motorcyclist.
I will also say that it was wonderful to see so many different cultures
as the two crossed the African plains. I was particularly impressed with
Ethiopa, which I’d always pictured as arid and depressing. But here we
get to see the lushness of its green, verdant lands ...and it’s
incredibly gentle people.
Indeed, all of the people Charley and Ewan meet are amazingly gracious
and hospitable. Perhaps even more than the tough roads they traveled.
Many miles and many friends were passed during this trip. And I’m glad I
watched it. Just not as glad as when I’d finished Long Way Round.
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Image from Long Way Down
DVD cost: $24.99
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy: On
May 12, 2007, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman set off on a 15,000 mile
trip from John O'Groats, Scotland to Cape Town, South Africa.
Movie Quote: "There's
not an ounce of competitiveness between us, is there Charley"
Other Actors/Actresses
from Long Way Down
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