BlazeLime
Strong and Moving!
InformationRap
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Zandra
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Scott Goodhart
According to the actual historical events that took place in the Donner Party, this film only resembles it in name, names of characters, and setting (then, too, not entirely accurate). Not even close. If this movie was named something else, it might have made it more enjoyable (If you can call watching this "enjoyable"). Even naming the movie "The Forlorn Hope" wouldn't have been accurate, but more fitting. Nothing was even said about the parties left behind or the survivors, and with the exception of the text at the end of the movie.This film is dismally plodding, which is about the only thing that resembled the Donner Party itself. Though beautifully shot and scored, and brilliantly acted, I can only give this a 3 star rating due to the script. If named something else to eliminate the historical inaccuracies, I might have only given it one more star.Someone please make a more accurate portrayal of this story! It is an incredible story of survival and hope!
Boreal46
I enjoyed the film, but had to think of it as a FICTIONAL Donner party. Assuming most of the accepted chronicles of the doomed Donner party are true, I feel a better screenplay could have been written regarding the Forlorn Hope. What they endured was worse than what was depicted in the film - again assuming survivor accounts are true.I would have preferred more of an epic-style narrative film - starting near Emmigrant Canyon in Utah - that would have allowed more time for character development and consequent erosion to their base instincts to survive. I could barely get my head around a character before they were insane or dead. I felt the film was edited in such a manner to make following the story difficult to follow. I had so many questions after watching it the first time that I had to watch it again to more carefully follow the story.That being said, I do feel it was a superb endeavor about one aspect of the most interesting stories of the pioneers. Someday, I would like to see the accurate story adapted to an epic film that would do justice to the enormity of this grand American story.
Michael O'Keefe
This is based on the true story of pioneers, who leave on a trip to the land of orange groves, milk and honey...the Promised Land. The party makes a split with a promise of a shorter trek through the Sierra Nevada Mountains leading to California. Following several snow storms they find themselves trapped, freezing with a dwindling supply of food. The group splits again as a small contingent try to forge ahead to California and form a rescue party. Even that is doomed. The fateful group of pioneer's camaraderie turns to cannibalism in the name of survival.The movie is pretty gloomy as expected to be. Harsh and harrowing, depressing at the very least; but THE DONNOR PARTY is worth watching. Some impressive acting in the form of Clayne Crawford and Crispin Glover. Also in support are: Mark Boone Junior, Christian Kane, Michelle Santopietro, Jamie Anne Allman and Catherine Black.
inamind
I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. As such, I am very familiar with the Donner Party and looked forward to viewing this movie. However, I was very disappointed. It is full of inaccuracies. While it is true some of the party resorted to eating human flesh to survive, no one was killed to do so. It left out the struggles of those left behind, waiting to be rescued and what they endured. I noted Foster's beard was neatly trimmed throughout the film, amazing to me, as they barely were able to stay alive, much less have access to a barber, nor would they have looked as healthy after days of near starvation. The acting, too, left much to be desired. For me, this movie was a major flop.
