180° South (2010)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This is the type of film that makes you want to get out and explore the world around us. I admire Jeff Johnson's spirit and dedication to his childhood dreams. This movie makes me wonder what our world might be like if we all gave in to our innermost desires of leaving our repetitive lives and as Jeff put it in the movie, letting our futures remain unwritten. This movie will take you off of your couch and deep into Patagonia. If you're anything like me it will leave you searching for the soundtrack to keep you inspired as you begin to plan for an unplanned trip you've pined for your entire life but always found a sensible reason to remain unhappy at your 9-5.

I love the cinematography, the images of the mountains and the wilderness, and the idea of recreating a famous climb. What actually happens is that the plot takes on a bunch of debris and junk as it goes along, like a runaway snowball, and the idea that that snowball was supposed to be part of some epic snowman is practically forgotten.This movie has strong points, don't get me wrong. I just grew tired of it. At first, I thought the two old guys were cool. Then, later, I find out that they are a couple of millionaires, which I suspected by their lack of concern for anything but dicking off and the environment. Watching the face of one of them as he blankly stares out the window of his plane he's flying around made me mad. I'd give anything to be in a plane in Patagonia, doing what he's doing, and he looks bored out of his mind. These young hipsters are no different. The main dude who hops on the boat seems like a really cool guy at first, working for his dinner like a normal person. Then, the mast mysteriously breaks on his watch, and he has to stop at Easter Island where he immediately meets a hot island girl who just happens to surf and want to go with him..??? They meet up with his buddies and the old guys later and just kind of dick around and bitch about the environment and surf. Oh yeah, they eventually attempt to climb the mountain.Amid all of this "self-discovery" is a soundtrack full of some really cool tunes that don't seem to belong. They are all dreamy and slow and sad and make me feel like the filmmaker wants us to think his journey was more special than it actually was. I felt like I had been asleep after this was over, dreaming about special, privileged people doing things I only wish I could do. Then I woke up and went to work so I could support my family.

Great movie!! It's real entertainment that inspires an challenges the intellectual mind to think beyond the next purchase at walmart, the next purchase of over-priced euro shoes, or the next designer suit and consider what really makes life rich. Beautiful footage of nature unspoiled with boldcontrasts to our progress (if you can call it progress). Patagonia's Founder has truly traveled a non-conventional path through out his 70 years, a real icon. Jeff Johnson's path is admirable and inspiring. KEEP IT REAL LIFE IS SHORT.I'll watch this again with my kids!! Best quote - "Turn around and take one step forward."As for the first review I totally disagree. If you really want to split hairs on self importance and make comparisons this is no different than the message in Avatar with out the special effects and Oscars. Watch it and think about it. Talk about self important and smug those people spend millions and millions on developing a film, then follow it up with million dollar awards like the Oscars where they can parade around and pat each other on the back so all the world can see and think "boy those people are really cool as they walk down the red carpet" look at me, look at what i'm wearing, look at who i'm sitting with. C'mon let's get real here and start paying attention to what's important. I'd rather have lunch with Jeff Johnson than James Cameron any day. it Simple....

I disagree with the previous review, this is a movie is worth seeing and has a great message. And I do not think the makers of the movie would be at all surprised that people would try to make fun of it - the Easter Islanders would have been the same way back in their day.The movie follows one man as he seeks to meet up with the founders of Patagonia and North Face ("self important" fellas, right) in the southern part of South America. A few monkey wrenches get thrown into his plan and things change. Beautiful images - open country, sailing, surfing, climbing.Is Chouinard a bit grumpy? of course he is, and has been for a while. In his lifetime he has seen the earth decline greatly in the name of progress. Ironically, as we "progress" our level of contentment declines. He seems to believe that we can progress without destroying our planet. Hopefully more people will consider his point of view.