The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)
User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 58 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 47 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 58
  3. Negative: 7 out of 58

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  1. ryancarroll88
    Aug 27, 2010
    9
    Being the first movie to ever be filmed in the Inuit language, Inuktitut, 'Atanarjuat' is as much a cultural edification as it is a sprawling tribal drama. Director Zacharias Kunuk uses the most of this unique setting, taking the time to admire the vast, open wilderness and infuse the traditions and lifestyle of the Inuit people into the script. The major misstep of this movie is its running time - at 172 minutes, I felt some of the lesser plot points could have been cut to make watching the movie less daunting. All in all, though, 'Atanarjuat' ranks as one of the better things to come out of Canada.… Expand
  2. RicardoFrancoN.
    Feb 9, 2003
    10
    Just Great! Wonderful!
  3. BarryL.
    Jul 7, 2002
    10
    Remarkable Movie. Slow pace but to go faster would lose the amazing savoring quality.
  4. ChadS.
    Aug 2, 2002
    10
    Be patient. Your sighing will start to dissipate after the first leap forward in time. Your focus will then shift from the snow and onto the people; non-actors, every bit as good as the cast of "George Washington". While the end credits scroll, we see director Zacharias Kunuk at work with his actors, to serve as a reminder to the (hopefully) enraptured audience that these Inuits are giving performances. Some viewers may have a few reservations about this tactic, since it breaks the spell by undermining the versimilitude Kunuk works so hard to achieve. Eskimo couples touch with their noses to create intimacy, but they don't rub them, contrary to popular belief, or perhaps Atanarjuat and Atuat just aren't very demonstrative. My point being, the love story is effective, as well as the other stories of betrayal, revenge, and honor. Look at all the lime green endorsements. This is a great film. Don't let the running time scare you. It goes by fast. … Expand
  5. GaryB.
    Sep 2, 2002
    9
    Fascinating, Left me wanting more!
  6. DarngoodMovie
    Sep 6, 2002
    10
    Thrusts you right into a mystical culture and envelops your mind in the detailed lives of the Inuits; gripping, saddening, and wholly satisfying. The best movie I have seen this year besides Sunshine State.
  7. JackP.
    Feb 8, 2003
    10
    Long but fantastic.
  8. AmyS.
    Sep 5, 2003
    9
    I was haunted by this movie..it was so fascinating and raw. It transported me to another world. The only thing that holds me from saying 'perfect movie' is that I sometimes got the characters confused.... the Inuit facial features are so different from what I am used to seeing. Once I got the characters down, I was absolutely riveted. I watched it, then watched it the day after, and it still stays in my mind. What a powerful movie...… Expand
  9. BillE.
    Jun 21, 2005
    9
    One of the best movies I've seen in the last 5 years. It took a couple of minutes to adjust to the video rather than film production, but then I sat back and marvelled in delight. I recommend this to all of my friends.
  10. KurtS.
    Jul 21, 2002
    10
    Beautifully shot, epic in every way.
  11. AllseeingI
    Jul 21, 2002
    10
    This movie was one of the best I've seen in a while. The cinematography is breathtaking and the depth of the characters kept you enamored to endure this lengthly film.
  12. AtanarjuFatTheSlowRunner
    Jul 24, 2002
    10
    A timeless and universal epic. Those who may balk at sitting through a nearly 3 hour subtitled film shot in a stark environment need not worry. It's mesmerising from start to finish.
  13. [Anonymous]
    Sep 27, 2002
    10
    Fascinating... primal, elemental, raw and natural... goes for the guts, unforgettable.
  14. DeniseB.
    Feb 17, 2003
    10
    Breathtaking.
  15. EmilyR.
    Mar 21, 2003
    10
    A masterpiece!! Watch it and you will understand exactly why the director won the Camera D'Or at Cannes (for best first feature-length film). Shot in DV (Digital Video), which gives the feeling of being present in the Canadian Arctic along with the characters. Simply beautiful.
  16. CorneliusB.
    Mar 1, 2004
    10
    This movie transports the audience to another time and place- one of the best I've ever seen.
  17. armandos
    Jan 22, 2005
    9
    The people that say the movie is too boring have played too many video games. It shows a culture much different from ours. It followed their pace of living, not ours. An excellent film.
  18. D.P.
    Feb 23, 2005
    10
    This was a brilliant film. Although I enjoyed the narrative, I am completely amazed that people can live in that kind of environment. An excellent movie.
  19. SioL.
    Feb 24, 2005
    10
    This is a brilliant film that captures the best and worst of human nature... sometimes in the same characters. Once you get past the fact that it is filmed (as far as I can tell) entirely in natural light, and is therefore lacking in Hollywood-style smoothness, it is captivating and potent. I rented it, tonight, and when I return it, tomorrow, I'm going to *buy* a copy.
  20. SamuelL.
    Nov 13, 2003
    10
    I am sure that the people who disliked this movie would have liked it far better with a class in cultural anthropology. It is a fine testament in the lesson of not putting oneself before the group.
  21. AaronM.
    Feb 11, 2003
    10
    A movie like this requires intelligence to understand.
  22. StanB.
    Jan 16, 2006
    9
    I've been reading "The Iliad". It wasn't mluch of a switch to go from Ancient Greece and Troy to the Canadian tundra. A worthy epic!
  23. CaroleS.
    Nov 19, 2002
    10
    Everything a movie should be.
  24. DavidA.
    Nov 26, 2003
    10
    It transports you to another world, without any time reference, but the emotions and messages are universal. The pace matches that of the subjects. Unhurried and without regard for the artificial tempo of modern life.
  25. JohnB
    Nov 16, 2009
    10
    How can you not like this film? The artistry, the storyline, the photography - it's all fantastic.
  26. K.S.
    Oct 26, 2002
    10
    Definitely a masterpiece. Yeah, it doesn't move at the breakneck speed of the usual hollywood hum-drum, but it's all the better for it. Sit still for a while and pay attention!
  27. MargieR.
    Mar 1, 2003
    10
    Spectacular! I wanted to be part of the film crew. A great representation of an ethnography depicting the history of a people. A great milestone for Native American filmakers.
  28. RaymondG.
    Sep 7, 2003
    10
    Cultural storytelling at its pinnacle!
  29. sugarbush
    Apr 2, 2012
    10
    This is a must see. Aboriginal cultures across Canada have great stories worthy of film. With these stories coming alive on film, we get to be immersed in Aboriginal legends. The history of the Fast Runner, comes alive with vivid imagery and will keep drawing you in. Watch the movie, embrace the Arctic, embrace the Innu. With 6 Genie Awards given, the critics are not wrong.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    89
    The perfect antidote to the summer heat in Austin, more refreshing even than a dip in our chilly holy waters of Barton Springs.
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  2. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    75
    Its refusal to draw solid lines between "good" and "evil" characters is more sophisticated than the psychology of most current commercial pictures. It's well worth a trek to a theater adventurous enough to show it.
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  3. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kenneth Turan
    100
    Nearly three hours long, and deliberately paced at that, this first feature ever in the Inuit language is a demanding experience. But the rewards for those who risk the journey are simply extraordinary.
    Read full review
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