Review of Southbounders (2005) by Andrew K — 13 Jun 2012

I came across this one on Netflix and absolutely loved it. It's a love story of sorts, but the narrative is definitely not what drew me to this movie. If you live on the East Coast and have ever been out hiking, seen an AT sign, and wished you could just keep on hiking the whole Appalachian Trail this film serves as a worthwhile peek into that journey, all be it a fictionalized one. An unlikely collection of travelers take us southbound, from Mt. Kattahdin in Maine to the trail's terminus in Georgia, treating us to a beautiful collection of sights along the way. Accompanied by an enjoyable soundtrack of modern bluegrass and folk that perfectly melds with the film, it makes for an enjoyable 86 minutes.

Technically this film isn't perfect. Sometimes it's indie roots shine through, and the fact this is just one step above a student film is evident, but it's also lovingly put together by people who obviously did their homework in researching the trail, and includes real stops and sights that mark the journey.

While undoubtedly not for everyone, if you love the outdoors, have ever contemplated trying the Appalachian Trail, and can stand a movie that is neither driven by dialog or explosions give this little film a try, you might like it as much as I did, heck, it might even convince you to walk a little further the next time you come across an AT sign.