The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey

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Trailer—The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey

The Navigator: A Mediaeval Odyssey

No... this is no dog of a film. It is surprisingly excellent. The other comments by IMDb members are pretty much right on, except they all forgot to mention an astounding portion of this film... the rich SOUNDTRACK! This film really made my woofers WOOF! I do not know who was in control of the music, but perhaps IMDb staffers can find out... it's not in the rundown of the film. The Miller-Movies formula awards a high 8 to this film that is well worth seeing, especially if you want something a bit different!

Sometime in the Middle Ages, a group of men living in fear of the Black Death follow the visions of a nine year-old boy (Hamish MacFarlane) to go on a pilgrimage by digging a tunnel through the center of the earth (!) emerging instead in twentieth century New Zealand (!) where they try to complete their journey by erecting a cross atop a church steeple. A willing suspension of disbelief (or the kind of unquestioning faith that the main characters have) never hurts when watching something like this, but if you're in the right frame of mind, this fable will gradually draw you into its tantalizing meditation on faith, mystery, and imagination.

This is a movie that takes you on a journey. Simple in it's storytelling yet complex in it's storyline. I actually felt like I was there, sharing in the lives and travels of the characters. The cinematography is beautiful. If this movie didn't win an award for it it should have.This is a movie that will stick with you, it will stand out as a movie that was clearly ahead of its time. I strongly urge everyone to see this. It may be difficult to understand at first, but you must allow it to sink in. There is a moral to it which took me a while to understand myself, but it's timeless.Watch and enjoy, but pause if you leave the room even for a second. One of my favorites.

Some of the critiques I've read of this, from others on the database, complain about the clumsy imagery or the accents. Get a grip. The point isn't linguistic accuracy, or any other kind of "accuracy" but rather the theme and motifs. In 1348 a frightening "illness" swept Europe, killing thousands. People didn't understand what caused the illness, only that it offered a horrifying death. This movie is as much a critique of "christendom" as it is of contemporary politics. If the US nuclear submarine is for some too clumsy an analogy to the black death, imagine the fall out of nuclear bombing as analogous to the black death. The pervasive silent killer. This movie was fantastic, for its imaginative plot, the interesting motifs and imagery, the concept of a small boy's vision, and the possible universes.

Well, what can I say, of the 20 or so reviews below, there is a dissenting voice, this is a "Truly Magical Movie" I won't go into the story, read the reviews below below for that, I'll just say, put it at the top of your "MUST SEE" list, it's long time since I saw it, and I've been looking for a copy ever since (with NO luck I might add) Now stop reading and go watch it....... 'o) BUT!!! beware, like I said, it's Magical, and will entrance you.

Not really well-known in most of the world, this New Zealand classic is one of the finest time-travel adventures ever to grace the big screen. A remarkable story indeed. Only by seeing it several times do you realise that every little detail is quite significant. This has been one of my Top 10 films of all time for over a decade. See it by all means, but see it more than once ... and pay close attention to everything.

I first watched this film in the early nineties. It's always a good sign when a movie can suck you into something new. This is a unique story in a ocean of sequels and copies. It's not just a film about time travel, in fact the time travel takes a back seat to the psychology of a medieval man. This film is about a small medieval village during a time of the plague and a boy who seems to have an answer on how to keep this plague at bay. It's a world filled with superstitions and struggle, even when the travelers end up in the modern era, all their motivations are much the same. It is a gritty film, for some it may be a bit to dark, but it is a truly fascinating and original study.