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Alive

• The end & Character arc

The movie builds up nicely and gradually. It focuses mainly on Ethan Hawke’s character. He and two others make the desperate trek over the mountains to find help. One guy drops out. Ethan and the other continue. It seems all is lost when one snow-covered mountain after another is all they see. Then, finally and miraculously, they stumble upon a green slope with water in the valley. CUT TO: Two rescue choppers swoop over the original crash site where the other survivors are huddled together. Say what? They cut-short the most important and best part!

I understand the dramatic tools being used- skipping what the audience can easily imagine and creating an impact with the juxtaposition of scenes. That is usually fine, but a true story like this has other considerations.

Everything in the movie is direct and detailed so why omit the climax? Why omit the powerful moment of these near-dead characters realizing they were going to live? They find greenery and water, but they could still die without food! Just a few seconds more would make a difference: Ethan and his pal tumble into the lake. They drink and bathe. Then they see a few cabins. Someone walks out. The expression on their faces. CUT TO: Two rescue choppers… (See Castaway for a similar flaw.)

Furthermore, why show the emotional rescue from the POV of the secondary characters? Ethan’s the man here, and he and his buddy are the ones who risk the most to find aid. The golden rule is to give the movie to your main character. He or she must experience the key moments in a film.

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