thegreyrating The Grey Rating: Iron Will A flexible rating system used to determine the quality of a movie based on a methodical comparison with the film masterpiece, The Grey.+ Winter and cold conditions.+ Hypothermia + Water in sub zero temperature + Survival in arctic conditions + Perseverance of the protagonist against overwhelming odds+ Savage canines (not wolves exactly) Definitely overdone Predictable Lack of Sir Liam Neeson

Shawn Watson There's no denying that Disney have went horribly astray in recent years, churning out pure garbage that even the most deluded of families find appalling, and all in the name of political correctness. Walt built the studio and his reputation on taking risks and pushing boundaries through the right of free speech. But the Disney label now seems to be ashamed of its past and leans toward conservative values. They have all but erased their "racist" film Song of the South from existence and show little, if any, of the courage and nerve Walt thrived upon in the 30s and 40s. I'm not sure what has provoked this alarming shift in quality from a once flawless studio. Perhaps they think that every mother out there shelters every one of her children against any and all things that can possibly contaminate their fragile minds and only the trusted House of the Mouse knows what's best.Set in 1917 the story follows Will Stoneman (Mackenzie Astin, looking like Sean Patrick Flannery) a boy who dreams of saving the family farm and going to college. But his only chance of doing so is by winning $10,000 in a cross country dog-sled race. With little training and overwhelming odds against him he throws himself head-first into the race despite the adversity.It's a great movie for those who love adventure, escapism, choo-choo trains, period settings and Huskies. I'm not keen on dogs in the slightest but Huskies are lovely.Kevin Spacey and Brian Cox (as old then as he is now as the man was born middle-aged) provide good support but the movie belongs to Astin, who somehow hasn't achieved the level of fame his brother has. His acting skills are certainly not in doubt and this movie proves he's a good lead.Iron Will is a perfect example of how far Disney has fallen in the past decade. Made in 1994, it's a solid adventure film with strong characters, lovely scenery and an uplifting story. Flash-forward to January 2002 (a mere 8 years) to the pile of rubbish Disney movie Snow Dogs starring Cuba Gooding Jnr. A very similar movie in terms of story but a WORLD apart in tone. One is serious and respectable, the other features multiple clichés and fart jokes.What would you rather expose your kids to?

I_Am_The_Taylrus SPOILERS Wow, my second Disney movie in two days. I must be going insane. Anyway, I liked this movie way more than I thought I would. When I watched it I thought it was going to be a typical "Disney movie with sloppy plot and a normal kid saves day" kind of movie. I was wrong. This was a great movie and for once a child did not save the day. It was a teenager. I also could not believe that Kevin Spacey was in this movie. Kevin Spacey, for crying out loud!Here is the plot of this movie. After Will Stoneman's father dies in a tragic sledding accident Will has to try to take care of his family. He starts to become the man of the house. The only problem is that he does not have any money to provide for his family. The only way to get money is to enter a dog-sledding race. If he wins he will receive $10,000, which was a lot back then. Since he is so young people do not think that he is going to win, or live, but a reporter makes Will famous. Will discovers that the climate is not the worst of the troubles, it is the people who are determined to win. In the end Will wins the race by the scruff of his neck.Overall, this is a terrific Disney and family film. There are some dark parts in this, and it is not Academy Award winning material, but trust me, you will discover that this will be much better than you would think. For some strange reason White Fang and this seem similar. Maybe it is because I saw both movies in the same week, and they both have teenagers in them and they have to do with dogs. Anyway, this is a great family movie that you should not miss. This is one of the most impressive movies I have seen since Witness.8/10Recommended Films: White Fang, Balto, Call Of The Wild.

James Cummings (Jwc1870) I like this movie for its' basic "realism" It looks like America might have looked in 1917 attitudes included. The irasible Storekeeper who Will works for pretty well sums up the local attitude after the Newspaper man Kingsley sent arrives " Where's the box? " He asks, assuming young Stoneman has died in the course of the race. " Don't You get the Newspapers here ? " the shocked reporter responses and passes him several.I enjoyed Mackenzie Astin's performance, but it didn't surprise me, He's Sean's brother and the son of John Astin and Patty Duke who both did a fair bit of acting. David Ogden Stiers' character was almost strictly Charles Winchester. I also liked Kevin Spacey's reporter out for the "big story" who in a sense was the biggest underdog of all... Imagine getting to page One in the midst of a World War from the K 9 section. uplifting , though not too believable. There's also that scene where wealthy gambler Angus McTeague visits Will in the dog shed and offers him 3000 dollars to drop out of the race. The Boy is sorely tempted and after He leaves, lead dog Gus gives him a almost disgusted look and Will says " I didn't take it... did I ?" No. young Stoneman is not cowed by anyone or anything but Gus the dog and is not all that nice... just human. Could it really happen ? doubtful, but then it is Disney.