Review of The Donner Party

OK, so "based" on a true story opens up a number of creative license avenues for writers/producers....but generally speaking, if you are going to do a semi-historical piece about folks getting stuck in a blizzard and having to eat themselves because there is nothing else to eat (hunting or forage), then it might be wise to include some snow scenes (I counted two) and when Crispin's character bashes "Luis" head in, if you look at the surrounding trees (from the angle of Luis looking up at Cripsin), there isn't one shred of snow on the trees in the background...and...it's SUNNY outside...notice too how few times the characters breath can be seen when they speak...a tell-tale sign that shooting (which took all of 12 days) had been during the late summer months...granted, hard to get production crews up into the Sierra Nevadas during January..but maybe a snow machine and a couple of fans at least...I was seriously laughing at the film (which I doubt was the intention of the film's director/producers)...aside from the hideous historical fabrications and omissions, it should at least shoot on days that weren't so bloody sunny outside (I still contend that Crispin Glover looked like he was out for a Sunday stroll)...and another thing...make them wear the snowshoes...not carry them as crutches, strapped over their backpacks...and looking like they just were purchased at an outfitters store...too funny...a horrendous film and the only reason I gave it a one, was because I at least got to laugh out loud for 84 minutes