The Emerald Forest Review

MPAA Rating: R
Released: 1985

Director John Boorman (Deliverance, Excalibur) released an absorbing tale about the encroachment of civilization within the jungles of the Amazon in his movie The Emerald Forest. The story centers on Tommy Markham, the son of an American dam developer that was kidnapped by an Amazonian tribe when he was a young child. Ten years later he has grown into a young man, but when he accidentally encounters his flesh and blood father in the jungle he must choose between the true family he once lost and the people he has become one with.

Bill Markham (Powers Boothe) is an American dam developer that has been tasked with the construction of a dam along the outskirts of the Amazonian civilization. One day as he is checking the status of a construction ground with his family, his young son Tommy is kidnapped by a mysterious Indian tribe known only as "The Invisible People." For ten years Bill searches the Amazonian rainforests during his time off from work, refusing to give up hope of being reunited with his long lost son.

During one fateful expedition Bill Markham and his partner accidentally stumbles across a violent tribe of headhunters known as "The Fierce People." His partner is brutally killed and Bill is released into the jungles so that he can provide entertainment to the tribe; they wish to hunt him down like an animal. During his flight from his violent pursuers Bill is severely wounded, but he accidentally stumbles across his son who is now known among his new family as Tomme (Charley Boorman).

Tomme rescues his former father and brings him back to his tribe, where the peaceful Indians nurse him back to health. Bill pleads with his son to return to civilization and his mother, but Tomme refuses to leave his new life and wife behind. He is now one of the Invisible People.

When the Fierce People strike a deal with slavers to collect young women in exchange for machine guns, they attack the Invisible People and kill as many men and old women as they can before rounding up the women and selling them to the slavers. One of the women kidnapped is Tomme's wife, Kachiri (Dira Paes), and it's now up to him as well as the small group of surviving men to rescue the tribeswomen. But they have no chance against the combined might of the "civilized" slavers and the Fierce People that are newly armed with machine guns, so Tomme must undertake a journey to the place he despises most – the city – in order to seek out his blood father and try to enlist his aid.

The Emerald Forest was shot entirely in the Amazonian rainforests, so the film is not only authentic; it's also absolutely gorgeous. Also adding to the authenticity is the inclusion of local actors and actresses to play the tribesmen and women – they appear one with their element rather than outsiders tackling foreign roles.

Powers Boothe nailed his role as a developer that slowly becomes torn as he learns the ways of the Indians and witnesses the devastating effects upon them of the continual rainforest stripping. During the initial moments of Charley Boorman's performance as a white man that has become a member of the obscure tribe I was skeptical – I was a bit doubtful that he could convincingly look the part. Five minutes into his performance I was perfectly comfortable with him… he did indeed mesh with his character.

Normally films that tackle the subject of civilization encroaching upon nature turn me off quickly, for although I dislike city life and prefer nature myself, I can't stand the preachy extremism that's often reflected in such films. Luckily although The Emerald Forest has a message to share, it's done so in an extremely subtle manner that doesn't detract from the movie. In fact you'll barely sense it until the ending credits where some factoids about Amazonian development are shared.

Potential viewers should be aware that there is substantial nudity in The Emerald Forest, so it may not be appropriate for their children. The nudity is not at all gratuitous or sexual in nature; it's basically what you would expect to see on a National Geographic documentary. Well… almost. These tribeswomen are just more attractive and shapely than what you might expect on the Discovery Channel.

It was evident through both the tribe's dress and their ceremonies that John Boorman was shooting for as realistic a depiction as could be possible, and I'd have to say he achieved his goal. Once in a while the film's pace seemed to slow down a bit due to Boorman's focus on fleshing out the customs of the tribe, but I never actually grew bored because both the lush jungles and the tribe were captivating.

I can strongly recommend The Emerald Forest due to its winning combination of solid acting, beautiful backdrops and perfect balance between drama, authenticity and action.

Movie rating: 8 stars

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