StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Teddie Blake 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.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

adonis98-743-186503 Siberian gulag escapees travel 4,000 miles by foot to freedom in India. The Way Back is a nicely written and well made little film about a few brave souls who wanted to reach their freedom and get to India. First of all i was very much suprised with Colin Farrell's perfomance and even his russian accent who seems that he worked quite well, Ed Harris was also very good in his role, Jim Sturgess as well plus loved Saoirse Ronan's role it was huge but it was quite the charm and sad too. The film has really good shots in alot of different areas from desert to snow and e.tc plus the characters are very interesting and we are rooting for their survival, definitely a film that i'd recommend. (10/10)

kj4 The Way Back, a story about the escape and bid for freedom of several prisoners from a Russian Gulag, is a film about people's abilities to survive in seemingly impossible circumstances. The conditions shown in the prison camp itself are fairly realistic, as they emphasize the presence of career criminals who clearly are more in control inside the camp than other groups, such as those who were incarcerated on charges of espionage or conspiracy. The film also emphasizes the all-important role of food and hunger, as indicated by several scenes in which prisoners dive for spare pieces of bread that have fallen on the ground. However, the majority of the film does not take place within the camp itself, but instead is a story of the escape through Siberia, the Gobi desert, and the Himalayas to India. The themes of hunger and dehydration were prevalent throughout the film, and as almost certainly would occur in such circumstances, the group spent the majority of the film searching for water, food, or both. The group encounters many obstacles along the way, both physical and mental, and the audience is left to imagine what the characters are thinking during long scenes in which they are depicted walking across vast expanses. Regardless of whether or not it is a true story, The Way Back is still inspiring as it taps into a vein of human strength and determination that can be found across time, countries, and cultures. People have a way of surviving even the most difficult of circumstances, and stories in which people have survived situations as trying as these scatter our history. Though it is a slightly idealistic plot, such as when by some miracle the group happens upon a well in the middle of the desert, The Way Back nonetheless is another example of this human strength that only appears in the most dire of circumstances, and which most of us are never forced to find.

kennasplace A rather entertaining film that follows a group's near impossible escape from the Soviet Gulag system. It's quite miserable throughout the film as the characters face very harsh conditions while sustaining on little to no food. I shed a tear or two when members of the group were slowly picked off by starvation and dehydration, but in all honestly I require very little characterization to become attached to characters, and this film had just enough to allow me to connect with the scraggly escapees. It's a very simple plot line, but I think the film peaked my interest most within the first 30 minutes where it showed the lethality of Gulag life. I found it especially interesting in the way it portrays the relationship between political and criminal detainees, and how the professional criminals had so much power over the lives of other campmates. I enjoyed watching, although I can't be certain how much I gained from the experience.

false flag terrorism Great scenery, but that's about it, too many goofs and holes, not to mention that 'history' is merely a set of events that are agreed upon! Lots of time spent with the group walking through a desert, living off a berry, a snake, and a muddy puddle, that they somehow manage to fill their bags and bottles, full of water?? A well, filled to the top with clean looking water, in the middle of a desert??? how? why? who put the water there? A sandstorm that knocks everyone to the ground for an hour or so, yet they still have buckets of water that they were carrying? One scene, one guy kills a snake, whilst the other 4 are lying in the sand, dying, the next scene, they have somehow built a large rock shelter, using near perfectly formed bricks, they have built a fie and a brick BBQ, and said snake is now simmering on it, like chicken?? Come on! The final stages are comical, they somehow reach Tibet, the 4 remaining, dying guys, including Ed Harris, who must be 134 years old, they wake to find one of their party is missing, the two younger guys go look for him, and see him climbing a mountain top, just disappearing out of sight (the Himalayas, no, really!) So they run after him, the next shot they have caught up, and have fully scaled the Himalayas, in the rags they were wearing, in their near death state! Come on! Its the small details that count!