Movie Review: Kon-Tiki (2012)

Kon-Tiki (2012) 

Starring: Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Agnes Kittelsen, Gustaf Skarsgård, Jakob Oftebro, Tobias Santelmann 

Directors: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg 

Nordisk Film, Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Roenbergfilm, DCM, Norway, UK, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, 2012. 

The movie is an dramatised account of Thor Heyerdahl's 8000 km (4300 nautical miles) expedition over the Pacific Ocean using a balsa wood raft. Heyerdahl wrote a book about the adventure. 

Film begins with young Thor Heyerdahl trying to jump on ice floats. Thor falls into icy water and is saved by his father. Father scolds him and makes him promise that he will not try anything as dangerous. In 1937 Thor (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) is with his wife Liv (Agnes Kittelsen) on Fatu Hiva studying Polynesian tribes. 

Thor in Polynesia

South-American plants

Thor's wife Liv

The prevailing theory is that the tribes paddled to Polynesia from west, i.e. from Asia. However some plants growing in Polynesia are clearly originated from South-America. The tribes believe that the Sun-God Tiki brought the people from east. 

Tiki statue

Engineer Herman

In 1946 Thor tries to publish his research results. He suggests that the people traveled from South-America to Polynesia using balsa wood rafts. However the publishers do not believe Thor's radical new theory. To prove his theory Thor prepares an expedition but getting funding for such a dangerous enterprise is difficult. An engineer Herman Watzinger (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) offers some insight for building the raft. Thor and Herman travel to Peru but the funding is still unresolved. 

Radio-operators Knut and Torstein

Sailor Erik

Anthropologist Bengt

The expedition team consists of radio-operators Torstein Raaby (Jakob Oftebro) and Knut Haugland (Tobias Santelmann), sailor and artist Erik Hesselberg (Odd-Magnus Williamson) and  anthropologist Bengt Danielsson (Gustaf Skarsgård). The president of Peru arranges the funding. The group decides to make a film about the expedition. The adventure begins in April 1947. They must survive sea storms and sharks, also the raft may fall apart. Also the long voyage is psychologically hard for the crew. They see big sea animals and bioluminescent creatures. 

Kon-Tiki balsa raft

Harmless whale shark

The movie is quite accurate depiction of the famous expedition with some artistic freedom. However Herman's character is depicted as uncertain and scared, being portrayed differently than in real history. Maybe the filmmakers tried to make Herman more like a regular guy, while the other crewmembers act more like already seasoned sailors or war veterans. This way he contrasts Thor, who is overly confident that the voyage will be a success. The movie is visually very beautiful.

Ordinary day on the raft

Rating: Very Good