The Endurance trapped in ice in Cowboy Booing's "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a: Director: George Butler Rated: Unrated Length: 93 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(December 21, 2001) -- Think of where you were two years ago -- and how much has happened in your life since then.

Now consider that's how long Ernest Shackleton and his 27-man crew endured the incredible hardships, bitter cold and endless, icy dampness of Antarctica before completing one of the most astonishing survival-and-rescue adventures of all time.

That's the story told in George Butler's powerful and affecting new documentary film, The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition, the latest and perhaps best of several recent attempts to recount the adventure in books and museum exhibitions and on film.

In 1914, the Anglo-Irishman and his hand-picked crew headed off in a wooden ship for what would be the leader's third attempt to reach Antarctica and cross it on foot. But the ship became trapped in ice for 10 months before finally breaking up and sinking. The men were forced to live another five months on deadly ice floes before reaching the barren Elephant Island.

From there, Shackleton and five of his men took off on the open sea in a 27-foot lifeboat for 800 perilous miles to reach South Georgia Island and get help for the remaining crewmen back on Elephant Island.

When you consider what these men went through for so long -- and the odds against them -- the rescue of the entire crew might be the single most amazing on record.

Helping future historians is an unprecedented visual record for the time. Shackleton was remarkably media-savvy for the day. He insisted that all crew members keep diaries, and he brought along a cameraman who shot silent motion pictures and many still photographs.

The images form the heart of The Endurance, though they're greatly enriched with new color footage by cinematographer Sandi Sissel (who appeared with the film at October's High Falls Film Festival, where it was among the most popular entries).

The narration by Liam Neeson is flavorful and ingratiating without ever intruding on the story, and is augmented with quotations by a dozen actors reading from the crew members' diaries and letters.

The elements all come together to present filmgoers with a jaw-dropping, true-life story of courage, resilience and perseverance.