Kon Tiki ( Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg, 2012) UK, Norway, Denmark,Germany

Reviewed by Robin Eriksson. Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival 2013.

Norway’s most expensive movie ever. It seems very fitting that it came to be about the most famous Norwegian ever. And not surprisingly the most watched Norwegian film, if not ever, at least in 2012.

For you guys that is unfamiliar with the stories about Thor Heyerdahl, it was a slightly naive but very passionate young man who lived for adventure. Not even his wife and children manage to get him to put down roots and stay in one place. Thor traveled at young age to Polynesian island to learn more about the people and the culture there. He also wrote a book about all hes experience as a scientist and most of all he had found the truth about a Kon-Tiki. He traveled to New york to sell the book but no one really believed his stories and no one wanted to buy it.  In search of a challenge, he manages to prove everyone wrong, and 32 years old gather a crew to cross the Pacific on a simple raft. Just like Tiki as legends should have done 1500 years ago. Even though the odds are constantly was against them and many people were against the idea, Heyerdahl always had a strong faith who also came to make him historic.

The journey (roughly the same as from Chicago to Moscow) offers plenty of time to get to know the team. Thor, driven to the point of self-destruction. Erik, his longtime Samwise Gamgee. Bengt (a Swede among Norwegians), the wise camera operator. Knut, the muscle. Torstien, (radio operator). And finally Herman, the nervous refrigerator salesman and amateur engineer that designed the raft, who also realizes midway through that he has no idea what the heck he’s doing out there.

The craftsmanship is world class, and the journey as well as its main character fascinates constantly throughout the film. Maybe it will be an Oscar this year, in that case its Norway’s second of all time, the first was Heyerdahl himself for his documentary film from the expedition.