Expedition to the End of the World

A team of adventurous artists and scientists board a three-mast schooner for a journey to the northeast of Greenland. These men and woman, along with the dedicated crew, arrive at a place that, before climate change, had never been seen by modern man in their “Expedition to the End of the World.”

Laura's Review: B+

Robin's Review: B+

This is a beautifully shot documentary of exploration and enlightenment – even if that enlightenment bodes ill for our world. The majestic images of a previously unseen part of the earth are stunning with panoramic images of the forbidding landscapes of Greenland, massive glaciers melting away and polar bears. We learn, from the researchers aboard the schooner, that the images of these beautiful and stately bears may be some of the last we will see in the wild, meaning extinction. Watching these creatures and knowing they will soon no longer be with is heartbreaking. Sophomore documentary director Daniel Dencik leads a team of five cinematographers as they chronicle the eclectic tasks of the scientists – geologist, archeologist, geochemist, marine biologist, and geographer – as they explore the unexplored land in sometimes inventive ways, one of which is with a flying inflatable boat. The artists get their shrift before the camera, too, as they document, via their cameras, the expedition. What is amazing about these explorers is how well they all get along in their isolated and dangerous locale living in close quarters. “Expedition to the End of the World” is more than just a travelogue. It is a sobering look at what our future holds in store. Man is changing the environment far faster than we can cope with it and our intrepid explorers bring that point to home with a clear note of urgency. The film brings us this message in a way that thrills the eye with its visuals and educates us with the facts.