I received a free digital screening in exchange for this honest review.
LOST ON A MOUNTAIN IN MAINE is a family and adventure major motion picture from Mom and Dad Productions and Balboa Productions. It is a true story adapted from the book of the same name, though some situations may have been fictionalized for the movie. The cast includes Paul Sparks, Luke David Blumm, Caitlin FitzGerald, Ethan Slater, and Griffin Wallace Henkel. It’s rated PG and would be better for older children due to some thematic elements.
The story is set in 1939, when the world is in turmoil. Donn’s father works on the road a lot, but every summer he takes the boys on a fishing trip, but this year they’re only going on a short trip to hike up Mount Katahdin in Maine. Donn is a twin to Ryan, and as adolescents, they’re at that age where they might question or act out with their parents, but Donn is the more strong-willed of the two boys.
Their father is not demonstrative with feelings, but we know he cares for his family, despite his sometimes-hard demeanor. He has taught his boys to be strong so they can survive in the world, and at their age, he treats them more like men than boys.
At the campsite, a cold front had come in, but the boys rough it in the tent. Their guide tells them a Penobscot tribal story about their god Pamola, who lives on the mountain, while they enjoy the campfire and roasting marshmallows.
As they’re climbing the next day, the weather takes a turn for the worse, and their father and younger brother go back down, but Donn and his twin continue to the top with their guide. They make it to the top, but the weather is so bad, visibility is almost nonexistent, and they weren’t prepared for the conditions. Donn and his brother quarrel, and Donn left them behind to return to camp, unfortunately, Donn goes off the marked path.
A search party is gathered to look for Donn, but they’re not having luck. Even with his mom contacting everyone she could think of to gather more volunteers, they’re not able to find him, and things are looking grim as time goes on. His mother never gives up hope.
Donn had learned three things from his father: don’t lose your head, follow a stream because it will lead to a river, and even when things are difficult, press on. So begins Donn’s arduous journey. He encounters a lot as he’s trying to survive, pressing on as he’d been taught, living off nature with skills he had learned, even after sustaining injuries, he goes on.
With the story of Pamola in his head, he feels protected by the mythological god, and he keeps a feather he found to give him hope. Donn never gives up, thinking of his family, and keeps going. Battered and bruised, he finally, he makes contact with civilization, and is rescued.
This miraculous story is told through the survival adventure of Donn, interspersed with real interviews of family and members of the search party, plus footage from the rescue. We learn that over the 9 days he was missing, he covered 80 miles, and he wasn’t on the mountain as officials had assumed.
Inspiring hope, survival, and love of family, LOST ON A MOUNTAIN IN MAINE reminds us to not give up in adversity and miracles can happen. Using one’s instincts to survive, one can battle the mountain and find a way out of the wilderness. It’s an amazing movie, riveting and intense at times, but a meaningful reminder to keep pressing on when we need something to hold onto.
Lost on a Mountain in Maine is rated PG.
How to Watch the Lost on a Mountain in Maine Movie
Lost on a Mountain in Maine arrives in theaters on November 1, 2024.
Read the Lost on a Mountain in Maine Book
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