I was thrilled to be selected to review the new film Lost on a Mountain in Maine. This movie is based on an incredible true story set in 1939. The film has the same name as the book about the inspiring story of a twelve-year-old who is separated from his father and brothers on a hike. His unbelievable will to survive for nine days on his own in hazardous conditions is beyond amazing. Sylvester Stallone who most of us know from the Rocky movies is the producer of this film.
From the start we are able to see that something is consuming the father/husband, Donald Fendler. It is evident that his boys are crying out for his approval, affection and time. In fact, at the beginning they are looking forward to going on a 2-week fishing trip.
The twin 12-year-old boys, Donn and Ryan, are coming of age and feeling their oats. They get in a few scuffles before being called into dinner where their father announces that they will not be able to go on that fishing trip because he has to work. At this, one of the twin boys, Donn, is very upset. His father says that they can go on a hike instead for a couple of days. This does not sit well with Donn and he is already resentful of the time his dad is away working.
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On their way up the mountain with the son of a friend guiding them, the weather starts to change. At one point, Don says that they are not dressed for this and must head back down the mountain. Donn is very upset and tells his father that he wants to go on ahead. Donn persuades his father to let them go up twice the mountain with their guide and his father heads back down the mountain with their younger brother.
The weather gets worse and the boys get into another scuffle during which Ryan tells Donn if he wasn’t so angry that maybe their father would be around more. At that, the weather turns fierce, Donn runs off and things get chaotic. We next see dad and younger brother waiting for everyone to return. Ryan returns and tells his dad that they lost Donn.
For the next 9 days, we see how this 12-year-old boy endured incredible pain, and treacherous conditions. Donald tells his wife that he told the boys if they were ever lost in the woods to remember 3 things, never lose your head, always follow a stream and always press on. Donn remembers those three things and it saves his life.
Ruth Fendler, the boys’ mother jumped into action making calls with Ryan to the newspapers and other organizations. Before long their are volunteers from all over helping with the search. We hear from locals about how people in Maine come together and how they count on their neighbors. We also see clips of Donn’s friend, brother and mother talking about their feelings at the time.
During his time in the wilderness, Donn realizes how much he misses and cherishes his family. He also recounts how he misses his dad’s bedtime stories and how sad he was when his dad stopped reading to them. He felt bad that his dad started pushing them to be men. Meanwhile Donald tells his wife how he regrets not scooping his boys up when he returned home from work that day. He says they were so happy to see him and instead they shook hands because he wanted them to be like men. He told his wife he had failed them and she told him that he didn’t. He said he wanted a second chance.
Donald got that second chance when Donn is found. We see clips of the real life news stories and photos. We see photos of the twins at 90 celebrating a birthday. We see Donn talking about how he survived an over 80 mile trek through the mountains of Maine.
If you are looking for a movie that shows the unbelievable will to survive against all odds, this movie will not disappoint.
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