Unlike great movies which are timeless, this movie was endless, like a portion of food you don't like but are reluctant to throw away. The film would have been better with a Richard Kiley narration, under a National Geographic logo. There were wonderful shots of the dessert, gorgeous panoramas, and interesting character studies of the people. And I found the last half hour nearly intolerable. I like movies with a different take on things. I liked La Strada. But I did not like this film. The only saving grace is that I didn't pay to see it, and I didn't waste good popcorn money.
The film started out with good intentions. It developed well, with Malkovich's character contracting typhoid. The sequence in which Kit is at Port's side, nursing him for what must have been days, was - in my opinion - the only redeeming scene in the movie. After he dies, and Kit hits the road, it seems to go downhill rapidly. The movie loses its continuity and its coherence. Perhaps the book was better, but after seeing the film, I have little interest in finding out.
The film started out with good intentions. It developed well, with Malkovich's character contracting typhoid. The sequence in which Kit is at Port's side, nursing him for what must have been days, was - in my opinion - the only redeeming scene in the movie. After he dies, and Kit hits the road, it seems to go downhill rapidly. The movie loses its continuity and its coherence. Perhaps the book was better, but after seeing the film, I have little interest in finding out.