The Reel Review
Daniel Radcliffe (of the Harry Potter films) stars in this harrowing true story of backpacker Yossi Ghinsberg, who survived an astounding three weeks in the Amazon jungle in 1981 after a four-man expedition to find a remote, indigenous Indian tribe in Bolivia ended in disaster. Although Aussie director Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) could have benefitted from some editing in the final act and ditched the handful of misplaced Disney-esque moments and distracting flashbacks, the film’s accuracy (they actually toned DOWN the most gruesome scene with the worm in his head – in reality there were 20 all over Ghinsberg’s body), McLean’s juxtaposition of the rainforest’s natural beauty with increasingly jaw dropping horrors, along with Radcliffe’s excellent performance and shocking physical transformation, deftly captures the psychological terror of being trapped in an unforgiving, harsh environment with no one to count on but yourself for survival, making you wonder what you would do in such a dire situation.
On Amazon Prime.
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