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Alpha (2018), PG-13, ★★★


I want you to close your eyes for a moment. I'll wait.

You're in a vast wilderness of white, powdery snow with mountains and forests in the distance. You are covered in heavy, but comfortable attire that could keep you from being hypothermic. The view is breathtaking yet unforgiving to the conditions that you are alone on that wilderness. Anything can happen when you are alone on that wasteland when inhospitable, windy conditions arrive and knock you down quickly that your way of survival is crawling and trying to breathe as normally as you can. Also, you encounter a wolf pack where they would pursue you for a feast. But, now, you can open your eyes before the wolves eat you...this PG-13 version of The Revenant captures the visual wonder of nature that will immerse you into the story despite how familiar and straight-forward it is.

In Europe, 20,000 years ago, Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee) gets separated from his father's tribe after a buffalo stampede. After he attempts to hurl a spear at the buffalo, he is flung over the cliff and stuck on the buffalo carcasses. Wounded with a broken ankle, Keda attempts to climb down but realizes he is too high. A storm comes and starts to flood the chasm below him, Keda reluctantly lets go of the cliff and falls into the water. Keda wakes up in an unknown area where he re-examines his ankle and makes a cast to allow him to walk.

As he tries to make his way back home, Keda is found by a pack of wolves. He slashes at the alpha and leaves her wounded. Feeling bad, Keda carries her and tries to treat her wound. When Keda is ready to go back home, Keda tries to get Alpha, who he has named, away from him but she follows him back.


The movie is all about the journey as the bond between boy and wolf is more focused than on the definition. You care about them to survive in the unpredictable force of nature that will threaten both Alpha's and Keda's lives. Yes, it is a "boy and his dog" story but it is supported by fantastic cinematography from Martin Gschlacht that absorb you into that difficult world. The theme of Keda's perseverance is a harbinger of leadership because his father wants Keda to step into becoming a leader. The movie is a process of him becoming a man by overcoming the struggles of survival in that force of nature.

The movie is alluring to look at as the beauty and the nightmare of the wilderness is truly captivating and brutal that permeates the story with such assurance. Now, I loved The Revenant as a more spiritual journey and a great revenge story. Here, it is a solid spiritual story with a straight-forward narrative that seemed to not get my attention as much as I want. I will admit that the ending is unpredictable and I did not see that coming as I have seen many dog movies. This is a coming-of-age parable that will have younger and older adults be in awe of the characters, the wolf and the scenery but also re-think about hurting wolves. I was thoroughly impressed by director Albert Hughes' vision that set the tone with the familiar story.

***

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