Review: Morning Light (2008)

[dnb at dca.net]

MORNING LIGHT
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2008 David N. Butterworth

*1/2 (out of ****)


     "'Light" is right.

     If the Disney competitive sailing documentary "Morning Light"
strives for any kind of depth or perspective then it seriously misses
the boat.  A bland and generic real-life drama minus the drama, this
earnest film chronicles the blood, sweat, and tears of a gangplank of 15
rookie sailors, 11 of whom are eventually chosen to compete in the
grueling 10-day, 2300-mile "TransPac," an across-the-Pacific (hence the
name) race from Long Beach, California to the finish line at Diamond
Head, Hawaii aboard their 52-foot sloop, the "Morning Light."

     Paul Crowder's and Mark Monroe's film piles on cinematic cliche
upon cinematic cliche with its uninspired selection of talking heads,
speeded-up footage, brisk montages, slow-mo scenes, boneheaded ballads,
and everything in between.  If these college kids had anything
interesting or observant to say about the intense training, the
selection process, or the harrowing race itself (ten days on the open
sea where no rescue helicopter can reach you), the flat filmmaking might
have seemed less like the sore thumb it is.  But they don't.  Not one of
them.  Instead they mostly spout the kind of inanities that would make a
star athlete blush.

     That's unfortunate because the six months spent preparing for the
race is no cakewalk and these young sportspersons deserve better
recognition for their efforts (even if nobody bothered to coach them in
the public speaking department).

     Not that there aren't any surprises in the film.  22-year-old
Baltimore native Steve Manson is chosen from a pool (literally) of eager
tryouts even though he struggles to swim two lengths and tread water for
five minutes.  Having already been selected for the crew, Genny Tulloch,
also 22, breaks her arm snowboarding during some much-needed R&R yet
still gets picked for the final 11.  And Graham Brant-Zawadzki (22 too),
already chosen for the race proper, graciously gives up his spot to a
fellow crewman after skipper Jeremy Wilmot has second thoughts.

     Admittedly there's something intrinsically captivating about the
raw, unrelenting power of the ocean battering a sailboat about as a
handful of hopefuls hang on for dear life even if it's delivered in a
pat and perfunctory way.  The grainy night footage of the crew tacking,
hauling kite, and spewing overboard brings that feeling home with even
greater intensity.  But there's nothing here we haven't seen before,
better, or more beautifully put together.  The film begs to be
tightened, sent back to the cutting room to exorcise superfluous scenes
and commentary that adds little to the cinematic experience.

     But in terms of their own personal motivations, it's probably best
to let the crew speak for themselves:

     Chris Clark -- "You really have to love the sport to get everything
out of it that it has to offer."

     Kit Will -- "I had no doubt that this race would push all of us to
the extreme of our abilities."

     Chris Welch -- "All of my sailing experiences encouraged me to keep
striving for the best opportunities."

     Graham Brant-Zawadzki -- "It takes so long to get good."

     Light indeed.


-- 
David N. Butterworth, Film Editor
www.offoffoff.com/film | dnb at dca.net