Eight Below - Comments and Message Board

I have to agree with the other comments. The reviewer obviously thinks he is smarter than all the other reviewers out there, oh wait, either everyone else is wrong or our friend here is. I vote the latter. Great Disney film.

I can't believe someone who's watched movies this long has this many negative opinions about this movie. I'm not a huge animal lover, and I thought the film was outstanding. I went in thinking the movie was not going to be very good, but I took a 360 degree turn. Of course the movie is not all about facts. That's why it says INSPIRED, not based on a true story.

This movie pulled all my heart strings and left me absolutely drained. At the end, I couldn't help but focus on the thought that all that Dr. Davis McClaren (Bruce Greenwood) had to do was make up his mind to help when first asked, and Old Jack and Dewey would have been saved. And did the girlfriend even once try to buck the system to get the dogs in the beginning, even if futile?... No. Everyone except for Jerry Shepherd (Paul Walker) were about letting them go and moving on. Gee, if it were their loved ones, their children, would it have been so easy? I think most definitely not. And it was made clear that the love held by Jerry for these magnificent animals was as strong as this. And it was only through the heartbreaking persistence of Jerry -- and the luck of a child's eye-opening drawing of the hero dogs that saved his daddy's life (that of Dr. McClaren's) -- that Dr. McClaren and the rest finally, most hesitatingly, hopped on board -- a whopping six months later. Unbelievable. It felt as if they were finally giving in to a child's whim, so to shut him up already. When Jerry apologized to Dr. McClaren, saying that he shouldn't have put his problems on him, this simply astonished me. The dogs saved Dr. McClaren's life not once, but twice, and all through his own stubbornness of pushing forward despite Jerry's warnings of danger. I do believe that not only made it his problem, but put him in the position of a life-long indebtedness to the dogs and Jerry. To him, though, the dogs weren't worth the leftover money to reciprocate, and he did not feel he owed Jerry anything. Amazing. And let me reiterate, this was LEFTOVER money!!! He wouldn't have gotten his stupid rock or grand award, not to mention have had a life to get these things, if it hadn't been for them. In fact, I do believe their saving him twice would more than make that money theirs for some kind of reward, don't you think? But instead of a reward they got tragic betrayal instead. Makes my blood boil. Sure, he finally gave in way later, but even then it felt like he was inching his way to it, through guilt alone, begrudgingly doing Jerry and the dogs a FAVOR instead of finally understanding that HE OWED THEM ALL and was doing what he should have done from the start, saving them all -- as he should have Dewey and Old Jack -- as they had saved him time and again. God help the surviving dogs had it not been leftover money, but instead his being asked to put his own cash in. No doubt he would never have gone the extra mile then. Even now, it annoys me to no end that Jerry didn't pull the "they saved your life twice" and "You owe us all" cards when he was first asking Dr. McClaren for his help. If ever a time to bring it up, this was it! Put his problems on him? Ridiculous! He didn't even get started!!! The only true heart through it all was from the dogs and Jerry. No one else cared enough or tried enough, which made Jerry's declaration to his girlfriend, near the end, that he owed her for always understanding how important getting back to the dogs was, very confusing to me. There was a great lacking of support, all around, emotional or otherwise, to Jerry and the dogs, and this chickie was definitely no different. She always had some sort of sly smile on her face, even in the beginning when giving condolences over having to leave the dogs... this happy glow... Really disconcerting. Just felt like, "So sorry, so sad, but must move on now!" If the intention of her character was to be understanding throughout the movie, her part was sorely lacking. At best, she came off as patronizing and just barely patient through his worrying so much over something that she made very clear should be let go of, even though the dogs were at that very moment starving, lost, lonely, and dying. It wasn't a year later... or even six months yet... but this was her attitude at the beginning until they finally decided to go back. Did she not get that you don't get past something WHILE IT IS STILL HAPPENING???!!! Only after you understand that it is over, truly done with, do you even start to think about the journey of learning to live with it. But out of sight out of mind, right?!!! So, that scene, and the fact that no one ever actually apologized or made some motion that they were responsible with their lack of previous action, made me sick at heart. The fact is that even if this movie wasn't based on a true story it would irk me and make my heart ache... but the sad truth is that not only was there one dog (Old Jack) that died through starvation, alone and immobile in the snow... but in real life, there were actually SEVEN -- and SIX more unaccounted for!!! In real life there were 15 dogs and only two known to have survived. So, I don't even get the comfort of, "Well, at least this was just a movie". Needless to say, this is the movie that finally outdid the one other movie that ripped my heart to shreds as a little girl -- Old Yeller -- but at least that one was truly "just a movie". So, yes, this movie is a spectacular viewing, the dogs are beyond awesome, Paul Walker is fantastic, a true hero (An avid dog lover in real life, as well!), with a considerable joyous relief in the end for the dogs that did survive... but I just can't get past the absolutely avoidable TRAGIC deaths of those other loyal, loving, trusting dogs... betrayed... and the fact that the ones that did survive were no doubt scarred for life. So many are heralding this movie as a human bonding, growing thing. While I do say that it is a lesson of the true love and loyalty that dog holds for man, and that man should hold for dog... for the rest of it, it's a painful reminder of all the dogs left behind (ex:The heroic Vietnam War dogs; the K-9 Katrina victims; the no longer interested family leaving their pup in the woods), an acknowledgment of the ungratefulness and insufferable selfishness of so many out there, and the heartbreaking destruction that too often comes from it. **View this movie so to let the haunting images fill you, and then never allow such a horrific thing to happen again. NO ANIMAL LEFT BEHIND! These dogs story needs to be told, so that their deaths are never, ever in vain and such tragedy is never allowed to ever happen again.

i think ur being harsh towards Paul Walker. hes a great actor and he isnt mean in every movie and he does great! in running scared his character was sensitive and protected his family . and eight below was a great movie! sad but great! i would like to see it again. and paul did a great job in this movie! even though he did have a tan while being in the artic...but u could only see his head most the time anyways...but hes still hot with big coats and boots on! he could pull off that look!

Sorry, but I must disagree. Just because a film is "inspired by a true story" doesn't mean it's a re-telling of the story. I think Paul Walker did a very good and believable job in this film. It is a beautiful and captivating movie that had even me crying in the theatre. I will see it again and again. Perhaps you didn't quite watch the film... "never underestimate a spirit's will to survive"

I took the kids to see this movie yesterday. I loved this movie. I cried, laughed and screamed and applauded! This was a great movie. I recommend this movie to anyone that has kids, anyone that loves a movie with a sadness or anyone that loves a decent movie that doesn't need sex, violence or cursing to sell. Awesome kids movie!

I sure hope you have another day job!! I haven't read one of your reviews that actually say anything right. I loved the movie and both of my grandkids are begging me to buy it as soon as it is released on dvd. Find a job you are good at and let the movie goers write the reveiws. Yours stink.