Good but runs out of steam at the end

Rating: 7/10 (31 July 2011)

I had avoided seeing this movie for some time because the critics had not been too kind to it. But I finally gave it a chance and am glad I did. It's a long journey, but what kept me interested were the spectacular visuals and the fact that I liked the little group of disparate characters that had banded together. It didn't matter that individual character development was slight; I liked the "group." I was particularly pleased that the film didn't resort to the cliché of having a traitor emerge who sells out the group. This group were decent people (even Coin Farrell's criminal has some honor) and they didn't turn on each other. When members succumbed to the elements it was because they simply couldn't withstand the physical punishment anymore, not because the other group members had cheated them out of their share of food or left them behind. The most tender scene was when the lone female of the group is on her last legs and one of the men scoops her up in his arms and carries her while she pleads with them to simply leave her behind.
The film can be divided into three parts--Gulag, forest & desert trek, and crossing the Himalyas to freedom in India. Unfortunately, the last part of the film feels rushed. Crossing the Himalyas on foot when you're already half starved and recovering from frostbite and other ailments is quite a feat and deserved more attention than was given here. In addition, the actual conclusion or ending is emotionally unsatisfying. We're told nothing about any of the survivors except the main character and even with him it's not much. He goes back to Poland once communism collapses in Europe in 1989--but what did he do after reaching India? Fight with the partisans; go to America? What did the others do? If the "author" of the book on which this is based didn't know, then say so. At least give us something to take away with us after following these characters on such a long and arduous journey.