Set in Brazil, John Boorman's The Emerald Forest is the search of one man for his kidnapped seven year old son taken by a tribe of Amazon Indians. Ten years later, he finally locates his son and discovers that the boy's way of life is far superior to his own and that the dam he is working on will destroy the tribe's way of life... Read more
| Starring | Powers Boothe, Charley Boorman, Meg Foster |
|---|---|
| Director | John Boorman |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
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Set in Brazil, John Boorman's The Emerald Forest is the search of one man for his kidnapped seven year old son taken by a tribe of Amazon Indians. Ten years later, he finally locates his son and discovers that the boy's way of life is far superior to his own and that the dam he is working on will destroy the tribe's way of life. He must also help protect the tribe from an enemy tribe that kidnaps young women and sells them to white traders. An exciting action-adventure movie, The Emerald Forest also highlights the issues of the continuing destruction of the Amazonian Rain Forest.
| Starring | Powers Boothe, Charley Boorman, Meg Foster |
|---|---|
| Director | John Boorman |
| Studio | ELEVATION |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 49 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, Thriller |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 21 Mar 2005 Production year: 1985 |
| Format | DVD |
Director John Boorman teaches us a conservation lesson here, with his son Charley as the boy kidnapped in the jungles of the Amazon. Eventually found by his engineer father, Powers Boothe, the wild child ponders whether a return to civilisation is worth it, while dad wonders if his dam-building is of any value. Philippe Rousselot's breathtakingly beautiful photography lives up to the title by making the jungle glisten with menace and the film's appeal is strengthened by its message. But such weighty matters are unbalanced by Charley's awkward acting and an over-earnest approach that makes the story into a single-issue demo.
Heavy-going, dazzling to look at, finally uncomforting dalliance with themes originally explored in Tarzan the Ape Man, e.g. would man do better to return to nature?
Emerald Forest ranks alongside Raging Bull and Apocalypse Now in my favourite trinity of films.
It would deserve this rating for sheer visual pleasure alone - beautiful scenery, beautifully shot. But it has much more going for it than just appearance. From the development of the central character as he grows up to the portrayal of Amazonian indigenous culture, EF immediately engrosses and captivates. It provides superb escapism, insights and entertainment.
I decided to watch this film soon after I watched Long way round. I wanted to know what Charley Boorman did. He was very young and good looking then.
Good film worth watching.