Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Absolutely brilliant

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Based on a true story, this journey begins in South Dakota in 1917. Will Stoneman is a 17 year old young man who loses his father. Will is left with devastated until one morning he notices a flyer of the Carnival Derby (a dog sled race from Winnipeg, Canada to St. Paul Minnesota) in which his father was thinking of competing. After getting his mother, Maggie Stoneman, to comply, she gets Ned Dodd, an Indian who lives with the family, to get Will straight into training. Once Will arrives to the competition, he is greeted with a ridicule of laughter, yet do they know how bad he wants to win. Will that be enough to get Will from the beginning to end of the race and win, in one piece through the meanest, toughest stretch of land, and weather conditions that he has yet to embark on?

This film, among other dog films, is one of my favorite. Not only does it tell how a boy rushes to save his family farm by entering a race that could kill him, he learns the value of trusting his dogs and that not everything is impossible. Against all odds, Will makes it through the race and wins. He is not only faced with the wilderness, but those other racers that are threatened by him. This is a movie purely of selflessness and courage. The scenes are fantastic and it is a very enjoyable movie that everyone should own. I find that all the movies that have the most meaning and that teach us the most, are those about true stories and are usually about dogs or horses. It is always a good choice in movie if it is based on a true story because those who write, and those who watch, these films are honoring those who actually did the feat and respect them for what they did.

How much of this story is true is up for dispute. I suspect most of it is highly exaggerated. Nonetheless, it is inspirational and fun to watch: an excellent adventure tale.The movie reminded me of "White Fang" with the winter scenery and the young hero, played by MacKenzie Astin, looking and sounding much like Ethan Hawke. The story was simply about a dog-sled race in the early part of the 20th century.The picture is beautifully shot, especially the train scenes, and looks very good on DVD. The villains in here aren't as despicable as in other films, so it's more pleasant to watch. I enjoyed the entire story except for the whistling at the finish line which was a bit stupid, but that's minor.This is one of Disney's better efforts.

Awesome movie, In the same league as Rocky. Just too good. A must watch.After his dad "buys the farm" in a tragic dogsledding accident, it's up to young Will Stoneman (Mackenzie Astin) to pay off the mortgage. And there's only one way to do it: Win a $10,000 prize in a 500-mile dogsled race. David Ogden Stiers is the railroad magnate who puts up the prize money, and August Schellenberg is the sage Indian who helps the plucky lad develop an iron will to win. There was one more hero in this movie apart from Mackenzie Astin, the Dog "Gus" which in the movie was his father's favourite dog. The dog was really terrific.