Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner by Zacharias Kunuk (Review)

I just got back from seeing Atanarjuat, and I’m still processing my reactions. I mean, you don’t go see a 3-hour-long cinematic adaption of Inuit legends that are thousands of years old, and just immediately know what you think of it. Still, I’ve got to say that my feelings are mixed.

As a technical achievement, it’s wonderful. There’s a natural, timeless quality to it that gives a real “you are there” feeling to it, like you’re watching a documentary where the film crew actually managed to travel 3,000 years back in time to the Arctic and film the myth as it developed. The entire film crew consisted of native peoples, so you get an unadulterated look at a culture that, frankly, most people probably never think about beyond igloos and dogsleds.

I found myself alternately fascinated and frustrated by the acting (the entire cast consisted of amateurs). Fascinated because the unprofessional nature of their acting just added to the authenticity (these weren’t Hollywood stars trying to act like indigenous people) but frustrated because the performances could be, well, amateur (i.e., community theatre). And then there was the running time (nearly 3 hours). However, I honestly couldn’t tell you anything that should’ve been cut from the film, a scene that could’ve been left on the cutting room floor.

All that being said, I’m still mulling it over. It’s not a clearcut “thumb’s up,” but in the end I am glad I did go see it. One problem was that I went in with high expectations (I’ve been itching to see this movie for almost a year), so I’ll admit that was a bit unfair. I’d love to be able to sit here and positively gush over the film, but there was just enough to make me hold my enthusiam somewhat in check.

Atanarjuat constantly reminded me of another native production set in a frozen wasteland: Pathfinder, which is based on an ancient Norwegian myth. Like Atanarjuat, Pathfinder was the first production of its kind for its respective people group, and also does a fantastic job of plopping you right down in the middle of a culture and its traditions.