180° South (2010)

I wanted to but couldn't!

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

I enjoyed it and thought it to be well made. Interesting editing and beautiful areas. Made in the format of a documentary. I watched this thinking that it was a movie about a climbing/surfing trip when in fact it is a flick about conservation, industrial intrusion into the wild areas of Patagonia, and oh yea....a small bit of climbing thrown in too. One or two surfing shots too. I think it could have been billed differently to be accurate. A film about environmental conservation with some surfing shots thrown in every now and then and an unexpected sailing trip. A bit short on the adventure side and more heavy on the moral message. Still interesting in its own way.

This is the type of film that makes you want to get out and explore the world around us. I admire Jeff Johnson's spirit and dedication to his childhood dreams. This movie makes me wonder what our world might be like if we all gave in to our innermost desires of leaving our repetitive lives and as Jeff put it in the movie, letting our futures remain unwritten. This movie will take you off of your couch and deep into Patagonia. If you're anything like me it will leave you searching for the soundtrack to keep you inspired as you begin to plan for an unplanned trip you've pined for your entire life but always found a sensible reason to remain unhappy at your 9-5.

The film is definitely worth watching, but make sure you keep an open mind, especially during the narrator's factually incorrect account of the destruction of Rapa Nui/Easter Island. He blames Europeans for the toppling of the Moai, when in fact historians believe it was actually internal conflict on the island that destroyed them. I will admit that I am not without progressive bias myself sometimes, but it disappoints me to see blatant disregard for true accounts of history (perhaps the researchers used Wikipedia?) in a documentary. With that said, I do believe this film has a great message and is very informative and entertaining. So yes, it is worth your time, and I recommend you definitely watch it.

...but ultimately an empty ride. The hero (Jeff Johnson) seems like a nice enough guy but his choice in idols leaves something to be desired. I got the feeling he is a little confused and possibly being used by those idols (Yvonne Chouinard and Doug Tomkins) to further their agenda. The portrayal of the people Jeff meets along the way are shallow and one dimensional. For example, there is a moment in the film while sailing south that Jeff and his shipmates have to repair their boat. The solution is ingenious but the film never goes into any detail about who's idea it was and how it was executed. The captain of the boat is clearly an experienced seaman but you have to assume that since you never hear from him directly. At the end of the movie I never got the sense Jeff discovered any new questions to ask and that all the answers he received he already knew. That he discovered anything new about himself or the world during this journey is debatable.