A beautifully shot film

Rating: 7/10 (22 February 2014)

An enjoyable film of survival following the miserable days of escapees from the Siberian gulags in the Second World War. The unfortunate group have to brave the elements at their very extremes on their harsh trip to India - the harshest blizzards of the Siberian tundra to the blistering heat of the Mongolian desert are only a few of the torments the group must endure.
Acting veterans Ed Harris, Colin Farrell and Jim Sturgess do not disappoint, as well as Mark Strong (although I think he could have had a bigger role) and the talented young actress Saoirse Ronan pulls out a commanding performance that is impossible to miss.
The cinematography in this film is breathtaking. The panoramic shots of the Mongolian steppe and Lake Baikal are beautiful. This film gives us an amazing tour of some of the world's less well known scenery but no less stunning, as well as giving a gripping story to view.
The criticism I have is that the scriptwriters could have been a lot more creative with the challenges the escapees face, all of whichever were pretty generic. I think they missed an opportunity here, but I guess the film is supposedly based on a true story (although there has been a lot of doubt cast on its authenticity). An enjoyable film nonetheless.