Movie · 2012 · Adventure, History · 1h 58m · PG-13 · NO
Curator score: 4.9/10 (74.3K ratings)
Overview
The true story about legendary explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his epic crossing of the Pacific on a balsa wood raft in 1947, in an effort to prove it was possible for South Americans to settle in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.9/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.48/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 62
TMDB: 6.9/10
Director
Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Production
Stunt Bros, Recorded Picture Company, Roenbergfilm, DCM Pictures, Film i Väst, Nordisk Film Denmark
Cast
Pål Sverre Hagen, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Tobias Santelmann, Gustaf Skarsgård, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Jakob Oftebro, Agnes Kittelsen, Manuel Cauchi, Richard Trinder, Søren Pilmark, Peter Wight, Jo Adrian Haavind, Ian Bonar, Eilif Hellum Noraker, Elisabeth Matheson
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Curiosity Stream, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A sturdy, old-school adventure film with strong ocean spectacle, clear stakes, and a compelling true-story hook. It can feel a bit polished and occasionally overdramatized, but the journey is exciting, visually rich, and easy to get swept up in.
Best for
viewers who like true-life survival and expedition stories
fans of broad, classical adventure cinema
people drawn to ocean-set suspense and scenic cinematography
audiences who don’t mind some historical simplification for momentum
Skip if
you want a very rigorous or nuanced historical account
you dislike English-language historical epics with a slightly glossy feel
you prefer character studies over plot-driven adventure
you’re not interested in survival-at-sea tension
Overview
Kon-Tiki turns an eccentric real expedition into a clean, muscular adventure film. The premise is irresistible: six men on a balsa raft crossing the Pacific to prove a theory, with the ocean doing its best to kill them. That simplicity gives the movie real propulsion, and the production leans into the scale of the journey with vivid water photography and a strong sense of physical danger.
Worth noting
What works best is the film’s commitment to momentum. It keeps the expedition moving through storms, sharks, exhaustion, and the slow erosion of confidence, while never losing sight of the absurdity of the mission. The cast sells the camaraderie and stubbornness well enough that the raft starts to feel like a pressure cooker rather than just a historical exhibit.
Bottom line
It is also a little too eager to heighten the drama, and some of the historical texture gets smoothed into a more conventional heroic arc. Even so, it remains an engaging, handsome survival adventure with enough scale and sincerity to justify the ride.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Kylo (3.5★) · 111 likes
I don’t know what it is with people wanting to traverse oceans in the name of science or ego. Could have done a double feature with this and Nyad. While a little dated, this was a pretty amazing and riveting story. Suits were so not the right attire for this journey though.
CinemaVoid 🏴☠️ (2★) · 103 likes
Several Norwegian men risk their lives at sea because apparently staying home in one of the richest countries in the world was not exciting enough.
UltimateMovieRankings (4★) · 71 likes
Kon-Tiki is about Thor Heyerdal's true story 5,000-mile crossing of the Pacific on a balsawood raft in 1947, in an effort prove that it was possible for South Americans to settle in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. This one picked up a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination....and it was well deserved. It reminded me of Robert Redford's All Is Lost..as most of the movie we follow the activities of 6 guys on a raft in the middle of the ocean. That… more Kon-Tiki is about Thor Heyerdal's true story 5,000-mile crossing of the Pacific on a balsawood raft in 1947, in an effort prove that it was possible for South Americans to settle in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. This one picked up a Best Foreign Film Oscar nomination....and it was well deserved. It reminded me of Robert Redford's All Is Lost..as most of the movie we follow the activities of 6 guys on a raft in the middle of the ocean. That… more
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (3.5★) · 54 likes
So after the release of the last installment with Johnny Depp as Capt. Sparrow (?), I’ve been curious about the work by the two directors who helmed at that project. While the Disney’s big franchise last installment was a tad bit disappointing, when you get an Oscar nominated movie and such a cool poster, you do still have my attention.
And the final product is a really good movie that has some lowkey great stakes and some of the weirdest… more
couplethoughtz · 50 likes
Thought it was just a creative choice to have the near entire Scandinavian cast only speak English. Then, I learned that they filmed it simultaneously in Norwegian and English for audiences and was kinda bummed I got the inferior version. Kon Tiki is bursting at the seams with great ocean cinematography. That first shot of the big ass shark was mesmerizing.Maybe learn how to swim before the 3 month journey on the open seas, just an idea. Quite stoked to check out the 50s documentary made by Thor Heyerdahl and the rest of the explorers.
2005 · Drama, Adventure, History · 2h 7m · PG-13 · Curator 5.8/10 (81.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A true-story adventure about stubborn personal obsession and the thrill of pursuing an impossible feat.