I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

the audience applauded

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The version I saw was 161 minutes.My review is also a charge of low expectations against those who awarded this film things like "Best Editing" and "Best Picture". This is political correctness run amok.Let's not mistake an important film for a good one. Being the first, and perhaps still the only film in Inuktitut, this is an important film. It's also important for bringing to the world an ancient story most of us would never have heard of otherwise.Let's also not mistake a hard-to-make film for a good one. 1995's Waterworld was hard to make too, and about as entertaining as this one.However, a film is supposed to do a few things.1. Tell a Story.Halfway through this film, I was lost. Now, for that to happen in such a slow-paced film is saying something. Then, when I read a plot synopsis, it appears that not only was I lost, but the parts of the film that I thought I knew, I apparently didn't know at all. For a film to be good, it shouldn't require prior knowledge of an obscure culture, or a secondary source to follow along with.2. Entertain.The editing of this film was such that the story tension and character detail were both sacrificed to the priority of documenting a past Inuit way of life. This is the same mistake that science fiction and fantasy films make when they try to dazzle you with their special effects, as if a CG dinosaur is impressive just because it is on screen for the first time (Jurassic Park). It's not. The past and current Inuit way of life is well worth documenting in film. But it belongs in a documentary, not a drama. If cut in half, it could be a better film.3. Yes, Entertain.While there were some truly beautiful shots, much of the cinematography was little better than you'd expect from any schoolboy with a hand-held camera. I found myself imagining what the same on-screen action would have looked like if a competent team had been permitted to film it. It could have been given the weight that a story that is this important to its people deserves, and could have drawn in other viewers to this story. That didn't happen.Some final random thoughts: I have never seen so much urination in a movie that was not pornographic. Also, it was not good to be a dog in the old Arctic. It was even worse to be any other non-human animal. Last, apparently the word translated as "forgive" doesn't mean forgive, at least as most people understand the concept. Forgiveness doesn't include punishment.

It tells a legend from the two thousand years ago, about Atanarjuat, who incurs the jealous enmity of Oki when he marries Atuat… Oki kills Atanarjuat's brother, but Atanarjuat escapes in a stunning sequence, running naked across the ice floes, outstripping his pursuers until, his feet torn and bloody, he is taken in by a friendly sorcerer… The motion picture concedes nothing in the way of authenticity, with sequences that show in realistic detail the training of sled-dogs, cutting up animal carcasses or making an igloo… But the convincing ethnographic elements only serve to intensify the compelling story and characters, which take on a truly epic dimension… If the purpose of a national cinema is to represent the culture of the peoples it belongs to, then "Atanarjuat" achieves this victoriously, both the content of the film and the manner of its telling being wholly specific to Canada, yet in the process achieving a universal appeal

For the longest time, I sort of avoided Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, as I knew the movie was a long one, and about Inuit legend, something that really didn't appeal to me. But when the title became available, I decided to, as they say, throw caution into the wind, and watch this. After finishing it, I'm really glad I had the experience, as it's a pretty amazing movie, both in it's story and the sheer fact that it got made. The story is about one man, Atanarjuat, and his daily life in the cold harsh arctic. He seems to get along well with the other Inuit, but soon, a power struggle erupts, and soon he has to rely on the powers within himself and others to overcome great odds thrown in his way. Again, the sheer fact that this was made, and the fact that they found actors in the caliber of performance that Natar Ungalaaq Pulls off is nothing short of remarkable. I don't know the full story of how this was made, but I am sure these are first time actors here, and they just ace it. Probably because the story hits so close to home. The lead actor, Natar Ungalaaq is to be especially commended for taking so many acting risks as he did (running naked on ice floes??) The only problem I have with this, and this seems to be a common complaint with people who watched this, is that it's quite hard for the first hour or so, to figure out who's who. But other than that, yeah, try to see this one if you can, you'll be glad you did.

Very entertaining film. Not the greatest technical masterpiece of film-making, but after a while, I actually started to like the effect of the digital camera. In a way, it felt more real, like I was watching home movies... of Inuits 500 years ago... or 1000 years ago... or maybe yesterday. That's probably the biggest strength of this film, complete and utter authenticity. Plus, it isn't tainted by all the postmodernist hokum that would have gotten shoveled into it if some New York art film auteur had done it. The film has no fear of showing real, politically incorrect Inuit life. Vegans beware! I suspect from the comments I've read that it works a little better on the small screen than the big screen because of the recording medium. Yeah, it's long and a little confusing in the beginning, but, dang, I was hoping for another hour by the end of it. Complex, engaging characters, too, and a compelling, universal story.