Review of Stranded

The story is one of the most compelling chronicles of survival I have heard about in my lifetime. I remember the headlines at the time it happened and I followed the story as it unfolded as I was a college student at the time, the same age as some of the rugby team members. I don't think this docudrama succeeds on its own steam with its structure of survivor interviews interspersed with some cheesy deliberately muted 'dramatizations.' But then the movie 'Alive!' didn't do it for me either. It was reading Piers Paul Reid's account that made the incident come alive for me - his narrative was rich in detail and suspense. This documentary was at its best when the survivors recounted the avalanche and what their near death experiences were like. Quite memorable. And it was heartwarming to see the survivors alive today and still (apparently) bonded. The best parts were the all too brief newsreel footage clips of Parrado and Canessa being interviewed and of what looks like either Carlitos Paez or Bobby Francois emotionally clutching his father. There should have been more of these and the film should have let those strong types of images speak for themselves. Strikingly missing was an explanation of how Parrado and Canessa reached safety, which Reid's book goes into detail about. Though everyone worked together as a team, as is stressed by all accounts, to be honest, it was the mental determination and athletic strength of the one man everybody put their bets on, Nando Parrado, who really saved the day. There wasn't enough footage devoted to this brave, remarkable man whose insistence on survival is still incredibly inspirational and mind-boggling at the same time.