I happened to catch the first few minutes on cable, not planning to watch a movie, and was hooked! As you might expect, this is a film about survival. But it's just as much a film about a faith in God and how much that faith can be tested and still survive. Thankfully, we're not treated to much gore, considering the subject matter, and much of the suffering is left to the imagination (though still painful to watch). Also interesting is the change of leadership among the survivors and how the leaders are able to rise to the changing challenges (which don't let up just because the food is gone!). Photography, editing, and music (Howard's score is grand in the traditional studio sense and this helps humanize the drama) are all excellent. One quibble, the opening shots of the plane look rather fake, especially considering this was ILM, but the crash itself is awesome.
