Lost on a Mountain in Maine (Christian Movie Review)
From start to finish, Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a mature, well-executed survival story that explores the fundamental human experiences of faith and family that make life worth living.
About the Film
All parents’ greatest fear is losing their child. To do so while hiking on a mountain in the middle of a fierce storm is a nightmare turned reality. Based on a book of the same name, Lost on a Mountain in Maine tells the incredible true story of a 12-year-old boy who becomes stranded on a mountain for nine days and must cross more than 800 miles of difficult terrain to find his way home. From start to finish, Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a mature, well-executed survival story that explores the fundamental human experiences of faith and family that make life worth living.
The film is the first theatrical wide release by director Andrew Kightlinger, and he demonstrates a keen understanding of what makes the story meaningful and compelling (you can check out my interview with Kightlinger here). In one sense, the story follows a similar template to many other survival stories, with the perspective alternating between the lost boy and the desperate family searching for him. But every element—the acting, the pacing, the visuals—is well done. It’s a confident, well-constructed movie with a clear sense of identity.
Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a quintessential family film, both as a film made for family audiences and as a story fundamentally about family. It’s an inspirational, hope-filled story that lacks the glossy spectacle or contrivances of many other “Hollywood” films. It’s cinematic, but it never loses sight of the personal stakes. The struggle for survival may be the most thrilling part of the film, but its emotional heartbeat is the relationship dynamic between father and son and the young boy’s simple faith in God (see themes section below). Relying so heavily on a child actor can be a mixed bag, but Luke Blumm is great in the lead role as Donn, often acting in isolation.
The filmmakers made an interesting creative decision to intercut the drama with archival interview footage from the real-life figures involved in the events, giving the film an almost documentary feel. I found the first appearance of the archival footage slightly jarring. But as the film progresses, these scattered interviews help ground the drama in realism and contribute to the film’s unique storytelling identity.
While the characters are the central focus, the visuals also play a significant role. Lost on a Mountain in Maine is a beautifully shot film, filled with sweeping vistas and stunning nature scenes. Despite the life-or-death stakes, it’s also a surprisingly peaceful film. There is the ever-present danger of the wildness but also a primal joy in being surrounded by God’s glorious creation. Many survival stories present nature in a Darwinian manner, as brutal and unforgiving. Lost on a Mountain in Maine captures a more positive, biblical understanding of the world. The danger is real, but the beauty of creation helps us connect with our Creator, a reality that is communicated in the film through some vision-like scenes in which nature is personified.
At a time when the world is deeply divided, there is power in stories that remind us of the strength of the human spirit and of the crucial relationships that unite us. Lost on a Mountain in Maine is not a “preachy” or overtly “faith-based” film. But it elevates Christianity and the love that connects us with our neighbor and with God. It’s also a well-made and enjoyable film that offers a timely reminder of the shared humanity that makes life worth living.
For Consideration
Language: There is some mild profanity, including “d—” (x4), “h—” (x3), and “s—” (x1).
Violence: A boy’s foot is bruised and bloody.
Sexuality: None.
Other: There is a repeated motif involving an Indian folk story about the god of the mountain. On two occasions, the bird-like deity is depicted, but in ways that are clearly intended to be symbolic.
Engage The Film
Family
The movie is primarily about relationships, particularly the relationship between a father and his son. Donn and his dad have a strained relationship. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Donn’s father says, “The world is not going to give them a break. Neither should I.” The fortitude Donn’s father instills in him is instrumental in preparing Donn to survive on the mountainside. At the time time, it is also clear that Donn desires more than emotionally distant, tough-love from his father.
One of the movie’s best scenes involves a monologue during which Donn recalls fond memories of his father telling him bedtime stories and expresses sadness that his father stopped the nighttime tradition once he started calling them “men.” It is clearly not the stories Donn misses but the sense of intimacy with his father. What he yearns for most is for his father to hug him and say, “I love you, son.”
Faith
Donn is alone, but he is not truly alone. Throughout the film, he experiences companionship with God, finding comfort in his invisible presence. His simple prayers are stripped of pretense and showmanship. After one prayer, Donn stops to listen to some birds that are peacefully chirping. He responds, “You know, for a God, I kind of thought you’d sound bigger. But, thank you….”
In the film, the connection to the divine is personified in a manner that may bother some Christians. The divine entity is originally introduced as a god from Indian folklore, but its later presence is left intentionally vague and open to interpretation. In the context of Donn’s Christian faith, it comes to symbolizes God’s presence with him on the mountain.
