Movie Review: From the Badlands to Alcatraz
**** out of *****
As the swimmer tried to fight against the cramping in his leg, he could feel himself engaging in a losing battle. The frigid water surrounding the man only served to squash his efforts to remain afloat and continue his swim. In the end, the swimmer had to surrender to the painful contracted muscle, and he was reluctantly taken out of the water.
No, this isn't Michael Phelps going for a swim. It's one of five members of the Oglala Lakota tribe who traveled from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco.
From the Badlands to Alcatraz chronicles the journey of five youths who traveled west in order to take part in a weeklong program that encourages healthy eating and healthy lifestyles and culminates in the swim across the San Francisco Bay.
The film is inspiring to watch — mainly because the swimmers had only six days of training, and some had never swum before. Despite that, the swimmers remained unexpectedly calm as they took their first steps into the chilly San Francisco Bay.
"There's a lesson in there that you don't have to be good at something to start doing it," said producer and director Nancy Iverson in a scene of the film. "In a way, it's more glorious to have that paradox of not being good at [swimming] and having accomplished something kind of extraordinary."
The reason five kids from the Pine Ridge find themselves neck deep in almost unbearably cold water is to advocate better health for the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation — where there are 11 convenience stores but only one grocery store.
The rise of obesity is increasingly endangering Americans, and the people on the reservation are no exception. From the Badlands to Alcatraz does an exceptional job of highlighting the obvious health risks that many Americans face because of poor food choices and lack of physical activity.
The music in the film enhanced the Native American heritage of the young swimmers. The melodic sounds of a pipe and the strong beats of a drum gave the viewer a taste of the Native American culture. One character even sings a song in his native tongue that, he says, gave him strength to finish the swim.
Each of the characters in the film were portrayed like the real people they are, which made them more relatable. This made it possible for viewers to make a deep connection with the story line and develop a need to see the characters succeed in their endeavors. When some of them can't finish, the viewer is left with feelings of sadness but also feelings of pride at their attempts.
Iverson has given the world a beautiful picture that displays the determination of the Oglala Lakota and their drive to complete the swim in the San Francisco Bay. From the Badlands to Alcatraz challenges viewers of diverse backgrounds to seek a healthier lifestyle and encourages others to tackle their own struggles.
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