A heartfelt documentary that celebrates the profound beauty of nature, The Road to Patagonia is full of soul. While it would have been better to hear more from the Indigenous people than the narration, there is still a ton to enjoy with Matty Hannon’s film.
Matty Hannon is an Australian ecologist who spent half a decade on the Mentawai Islands, off the coast of Indonesia, with indigenous tribes. Upon his return to city life, he has fallen out of love with modern life and yearns for a less commodified existence. There, he decides to travel and surf through the entire West Coast of the Americas, far from the complicated and the whole possibility and wonder of the natural world and love.
That’s about as concise a synopsis as I can think of for The Road to Patagonia; that is, in fact, something far greater and expansive than you can break down into a couple of sentences. What on the outside looks like a visual diary of a mammoth journey turns into something far more introspective and a documentary that will weave through many different story threads like a surfer riding that perfect swell.
Hannon has an eye for a great shot, as we get continual, astonishingly beautiful shots throughout the film. You can’t escape how sublime the documentary is as he travels through a variety of different terrains. However, Hannon’s message is as clear as they come about ecology and our present abuse of the Earth’s natural resources.
The documentary comes to life when Hannon interviews subjects along his journey. He sees and learns about how mankind has changed their homeland and how we, as a species, have lost ourselves. These moments are far more powerful than his, and Heather’s constant is concise musings. It is certainly something the film could have done a bit more with.
The other thread that The Road to Patagonia reveals is a simple yet continually profound one to those who it reaches. When Hannon eventually makes it to Patagonia, after everything he has gone through —stolen bikes, delays, falling in love —the end destination, the goal, is a bit underwhelming. He soon finds out that the experiences during the journey are what makes it all so worthwhile. The accumulation of these little moments and realisations is what makes the film such a worthwhile watch.
While the narration of The Road to Patagonia by Matty and then Heather is as heartfelt as their experiences and views, it is somewhat simplistic, albeit tinged with a hint of naivety. It sounds like someone continually staring off into the vastness of their surroundings and just spouting out things. When it comes to their points on sustainability and animism, you want them to elaborate more on it, to reel us in with their clear knowledge and perhaps even educate us a little. Instead, their thoughts are, at times, too short and sweet for their good and leave you wanting more from them.
Yet, due to what Hannon is showing us of the sheer beauty of the west coast of the Americas, of the utter gorgeousness of Chile, you do forgive its thin questions about how we humans have caused so much damage (from a man and eventually a couple who are riding motorcycles tens of thousands of miles). It is the introspectiveness of the film that shines far more—asking more about our place on the planet and why we don’t try to experience life more and take journeys that challenge us.
That said, the star of The Road to Patagonia, without a shadow of a doubt, is Harimau, the not 8-year-old horse that Matty and Heather were told he was, but the 33-year-old horse that trundled through rain, mud hills, dehydration with his new makeshift family. If anything that sole horses story is the epitome of what Hannon is speaking about in his film. You just never know what’s going to happen or when. While yes Harimau was not a volunteer on this experience, that grand soldier of a horse got to see some incredible things on his final adventure before retiring to the most beautiful scenery anyone could ever dream of.
Not everyone is suited for city life; most of us crave something more open and unrestricted. For those who feel this way, The Road to Patagonia will be like a spiritual guide to cling to. What Hannon does so wonderfully show us with his 25-month journey is one thing. Even the best-laid plans, such as documenting yourself riding down the coastline, will have challenges but also organically wondrous bumps that will make it all worthwhile. Don’t skip this.
★★★
The Road to Patagonia will be available exclusively on the Icon Film Channel from 30th May, in select UK Cinemas from 27th June and on Home Entertainment from 28th July
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