Siberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India.Siberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India.Siberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 4 wins & 5 nominations total
Gustaf Skarsgård
- Voss
- (as Gustaf Skarsgard)
Zachary Baharov
- Interrogator
- (as Zahari Baharov)
Sally Brunski
- Janusz's Wife, 1939
- (as Sally Edwards)
Dejan Angelov
- Andrei
- (as Deyan Angelov)
Mariy Rosen
- Lazar
- (as Marii Grigorov)
Nikolay Stanoev
- Yuri
- (as Nikolai Stanoev)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie was inspired by the memoir of Slavomir Rawicz depicting his escape from a Siberian gulag and subsequent four thousand-mile walk to freedom in India. Incredibly popular, it sold over five hundred thousand copies, and is credited with inspiring many explorers. However, in 2006, the BBC unearthed records (including some written by Rawicz) that showed he had been released by the U.S.S.R. in 1942. In 2009, another former Polish soldier, Witold Glinski, claimed that the book was really an account of his own escape. However, this claim too has been seriously challenged.
- GoofsJanusz demonstrates a method using shadows of a stick and rock to find the compass direction of south. Yet, many of the scenes show them walking in a direction inconsistent with sun angles i.e. sun at their backs, which would have them walking north.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Breakfast: Episode dated 7 December 2010 (2010)
Featured review
Engaging survival drama
THE WAY BACK is a highly effective survival drama that tells the true story of a group of Siberian prison escapees who undertake an incredibly arduous trip to India after deciding to travel there by foot. The first half an hour of the movie sets up the prison camp scenario while the rest of it charts the almost impossible journey. Of course, much of the suspense arises from seeing as to whether any of the characters will actually make it.
This film has the edge over something like THE GREY purely because it's more realistic. The characters are at the mercy of the elements and the story becomes a battle between humanity and nature. There's an epic, almost LAWRENCE OF ARABIA style feel to the movie at times. There's also a gritty edge to the proceedings which makes it feel very non-Hollywood, and the performances add to that. Colin Farrell is probably the best he's ever been as a rough Russian gambler while Ed Harris is almost unrecognisable as an elder member of the group. Newcomer Jim Sturgess is sympathetic as the erstwhile leader, and there's an oddly touching minor role for Mark Strong, who reminds you how good he can be when he's not typecast as a villain.
This film has the edge over something like THE GREY purely because it's more realistic. The characters are at the mercy of the elements and the story becomes a battle between humanity and nature. There's an epic, almost LAWRENCE OF ARABIA style feel to the movie at times. There's also a gritty edge to the proceedings which makes it feel very non-Hollywood, and the performances add to that. Colin Farrell is probably the best he's ever been as a rough Russian gambler while Ed Harris is almost unrecognisable as an elder member of the group. Newcomer Jim Sturgess is sympathetic as the erstwhile leader, and there's an oddly touching minor role for Mark Strong, who reminds you how good he can be when he's not typecast as a villain.
helpful•61
- Leofwine_draca
- May 7, 2014
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Đường Về
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,701,859
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,218,868
- Jan 23, 2011
- Gross worldwide
- $24,172,201
- Runtime2 hours 13 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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