In the era of reality television and feature documentaries that scrutinize the very soul and substance of the American nation, a documentary like Morning Light"" feels almost quaint.
It's a movie about a group of young people selected and trained to compete in a biennial sailboat race from Southern California to Hawaii against seasoned pros. No one talks nasty behind anyone's backs, everyone must compete as a team, and the moral is a life lesson through sports and teamwork.
This is a film from Disney, in fact from Roy E. Disney, the studio's longtime shareholder, consultant and avid sailor who conceived the idea, sponsored the film and even helped train this crew to sail a high-performance 52-foot racing boat.
The movie certainly is not without interest: with a photographer aboard, remote-controlled stationary cameras built into the boat, hand-held and night-vision cameras and a chase boat following the ""Morning Light"" team, director Mark Monroe achieves remarkable shots in the open sea. But the film lacks a compelling reason for anyone other than a sailing enthusiast to watch.
You have no idea why these 15 sailors were recruited. Whatever the process, it produced so many white, chiseled men under age 23 that it's hard to tell them apart. To be fair, two women made the initial group, though only one was among the 11 selected to sail.
The six-month training emphasizes sweat and fatigue but does little to define character or untangle who's who among the look-alikes. When the final group is selected, one man begins to stand out when Jeremy Wilmot of Sydney, who is a natural leader and experienced sailor, gets chosen as captain.
The trek itself in 2,500 miles of open water has its highs and lows, from the boat hitting a high-pressure zone that leaves the crew motionless for hours, to the unbelievable chance meeting in the middle of the sea with a competing boat in the same class. What are the odds?
The music, credited to Matter, oversells the excitement, however, and leaves audiences longing for a quiet moment where the boat can simply swish across the water.
Still, the photography is amazing. Certainly many formidable challenges were resolved smashingly to create many terrific shots of the crew at work, playing with and then fighting the ocean.
Although no one emerges with a distinct personality, the teamwork is admirable.
Grade: BC
