I saw the indie animated feature "Long Way North" in a local Cineplex theater in Canada. While the movie didn't get a full release in either Canada or America, it was listed as a morning "matinee" feature for children, for one day only, part of a series that normally only shows recent or "classic" animated movies. I'm glad I got up that morning to see it, and glad to have picked up the Bluray for a reasonable price. It's a great example about how an independent film can compete in quality against larger studios, and even how the strengths of being independent can allow for telling stories that Hollywood wouldn't bother to touch. Simply put, "Long Way North" is pretty great.Set at the turn of the 19th century in Russia, Sasha is a young woman from a good family, and like others her age, is prepped to be married to an appropriate suitor. But her grandfather, a famed explorer, had been lost at sea when voyaging to the Artic years earlier, and the adventurous Sasha is determined to have a new expedition go out to see what became of them, or possibly even to find the lost crew alive. A recent discovery of notes and her navigation skills makes finding the ship seem possible. Unable to convince nobles to fund such a venture, she runs away from home to go there herself, hiring a tiny crew of rugged men to travel there.There are several things to like about the story of "Long Way North." One is the characterization of Sasha. Yes, she's a strong, independent woman, and having yet another version of "woman's lib" in a story can be tiring. But it's handled well here, as much an issue of wealth and poltiics as it is gender, and Sasha is so likable that one can't help but cheer her on. She isn't without flaws, quickly discovering that her upper-class upbringing didn't prepare her for the real world, being swindled out of her money early on, and having to clean dishes to pay her way when she's never properly worked with her hands in her life. She grows stronger as a person as she proceeds to the end of the journey.The story is grounded in a surprisingly harsh reality. The North Pole is rendered and written with realism. It's bitterly cold, food is scarce, and the lives of the crew are constantly at stake. Driving the ship and the tasks required of it are also well detailed. For the jouney, even Sasha accepts the likely truth early on, that her grandfather is most certainly dead in the frozen wasteland, but she wants to save his legacy and confirm if he succeeded in his quest. It might seem a little dark to learn that people froze to death in the unexplored early days of the Artic, but it's a valuable lesson to teach young children. The movie is well suited to kids, especially those who might be inspred to become scientists themselves one day.
Visually, the 2D animation looks like a modern digital painting, with limited shading to add some detail. It looks attractive without being to obvious. Detail in the boat, sea and setting make a seemingly simple environment well rendered and animated. The English acting is generally good, although some side characters could take getting used to. The sound design is solid, complimenting the simple but also solid musical score.There are plenty of foreign animated films to find now, but most of them vary greatly in quality. It's refreshing to find something that genuinely exceeds it's richer counterparts. I'm excited to see what director Remi Chaye and his team make next. I would recommend "Long Way North" to just about anyone.