“Walking Out”: Count me in.

The just-released “Walking Out” had me from the get-go.  Having lived my entire life west of the Mississippi to varying degrees, I have a powerful appreciation and respect for the independent spirit of the region’s people together with the indigenous wonder of the land.  From its opening frame this is a chronicle presented amidst the breathtaking grandeur of the unforgiving Montana backcountry.  As such, then, I was an instant sucker for what was to follow.  It did not disappoint.

Matt Bomer (TV’s “White Collar”) as Cal and Josh Wiggins (“Max”) as David are father and son.  They live miles, and worlds, apart.  Their relationship is strained.  The pair struggle to connect.  Traipsing out into the snowy wilderness, Cal aims to teach his greenhorn teenage kid how a man properly tracks, hunts and kills a moose.  But the plan winds up going awry.  Horrifically so.  And now they must struggle against nature and it’s unpredictable threats to get out alive.

Bomer and Wiggins are genuinely remarkable strictly in terms of the ferocious physical demands required of each.  The fact that their acting performances are equally as notable is a bonus.  With the great Bill Pullman appearing in a periodic but pivotal role, “Walking Out” steps up to a more than worthwhile watch.

From a technical standpoint, Cinematographer Todd McMullen and Music Director Ernst Reijseger are particularly impressive.  The images brought to us of the rugged “Big Sky Country” through McMullen’s lens (especially the spectacular aerial views) are at once primal and magnificent.  The majestic peaks, trees, rivers and streams captured on camera are all critical elements here.  Reijseger’s dazzling soundtrack is haunting, mesmerizing, a kind of modernistic mountain melody playing perfectly with the pictures.

Bear in mind that you’re gonna need to be patient with “Walking Out”.  Co-Writers/Directors/Producers Alex and Andrew J. Smith (twin British brothers as it happens) take us on a journey intended to unfold gradually, in unhurried layers, with generous investment in contemplation and reflection.  This is thoughtful filmmaking.  Meticulous effort is made to tell a complete story.  A resonant narrative.  A timeless tale.

The ending will strike you.  Pierce you.  Stay with you.  This is what the Smiths have built toward with every preceding scene.  They have inspired us to care about these two characters.  In so doing, they have richly earned the stirring emotion we feel during the final and deeply moving moments of “Walking Out”.

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