PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Andrew Boodhoo Kinghtlinger’s Lost On A Mountain In Maine, produced by Sylvester Stallone, is a thrill ride without much effort. There are a million survival movies. As kids, we even watched pets find their way home. A good survival movie reaches down into us to say its peace. Based on the book with the same name, Lost On A Moutain In Maine uses natural elements for its reach. What I mean is the fight to survive isn’t that dramatic. There are no wild animals.
Instead, it grabs you with the reality of being in that situation.
Synopsis
Based on the best-selling book by the same name, Lost On A Mountain In Maine tells the inspiring true story of 12-year-old Donn Fendler, who becomes separated from his family by a fast-moving storm atop a treacherous mountain. For nine days Donn fights to stay alive as he attempts to survive the unforgiving wilderness of northern Maine without food, proper clothing, or the knowledge of how bad his situationreally is. His disappearance sparks a massive search effort that captures national headlines and attracts hundreds of volunteers, including his ownfather who fears he may never see his son again.
I Once Was Lost
I was all over movies like this growing up, I still watch them today with my kids because movies like this make you feel good inside. Lost On A Mountain In Maine had me waiting for the eventual death. Things didn’t look good through a lot of the movie and by the end, you are just as exhausted as the character on the brink of death. You can almost feel the life drain from your body right next to him. Lost On A Mountain In Maine reaches into your heart, and rips it out. This would be someone’s fate, not eaten by an animal, but worse: a slow and painful death. Donn was chased by bees and had no food source and a dying light inside.
“Here’s a classic American movie you don’t see anymore—an emotional epic grounded by a tour-de-force 12-year-old star. We filmed in ACTUAL wilderness—up to our neck in rivers, hiking mountains,battling ticks—I’m thrilled to share with the world this incredible (andTRUE) tale of hope and grit–both a throwback to family movies that challenged us—yet chiseled with a modern edge about thevulnerability between parents and their children” ~Andrew Kightlinger (director)
You can’t help but feel for Donn Fendler during his tormenting days lost in the wilderness. There is no real-life struggle beyond slowly wasting away. What starts as a not-so-bad time, quickly turns into a struggle and the transition is barely noticeable because Lost On A Mountain In Maine gives us a reason to watch our kids closely, and that was my thought the entire time. As interesting as the movie was, knowing I live in a rural area where my kids could get lost for days terrifies me. In the heat of the moment as aggravated parents, we can lose control quickly.
What happens when we lose control? Well, anything can happen. Lost On A Mountain In Maine is a strong reminder that our kids have feelings and want to be acknowledged.
In The End
Lost On A Mountain In Maine is a look back on how we handled the pressure. The movie is spot on with what I was told by my grandparents when I was younger. The attitudes, and stigmas that are strong today were ten times stronger back then. Our hearts weren’t used to producing emotion. It is also a look at how far we have come as fathers, and what we were up against. I would definitely watch this film again because it was pure enjoyment with a side of grief.
Lost On A Mountain In Maine is being released on VOD on January 7th, 2025
