A world record attempt to swim the entire length of the deadly, dirty, crocodile (and worse) infested Amazon sounds like a great subject for a documentary, but Big River Man really pulls out a trump card in the form of Martin Strell, an overweight, ageing alcoholic who also happens to be an endurance swimming champion, who may well be the oddest fish of the lot.
A very strange hybrid movie, Big River Man is at once hilarious and sobering, which sees the big Slav using the attempt to foster awareness of the enviromental dangers the Amazon basin faces, particularly from the excesses of deforestation.
The film and Strel both seem to have split personalities. We begin in Slovenia, following him around as he drink drives, eats horse burgers and shamelessly promotes himself anywhere he can, happily popping up in beer commercials and local theatre reviews. When we get to the Amazon however, he becomes a driven man, concentrating solely on the athletic endeavour, despite remaining resolutely intoxicated through the ordeal, as much in danger from high blood pressure as from swarming piranha.
John Maringouin keeps track of the action daily from a rickety rented boat, and the film has as much to offer sports fans as it does environmentalists. The whole thing adopts a light hearted tone that places it among humorous docs, whilst the photography occasionally rivals Blue Planet in its striking depictions of a threatened, deadly paradise.
As we progress it’s impossible not to be thoroughly impressed by Strel’s fortitude and perseverance, battling sunburn, toxic water and threats to his heart, he soldiers on along the entire 3, 274 mile river.
It’s funny, and it’s touching. While the emphasis on Strel The Character may occasionally show him as a cash-hungry loon rather than a hero figure, the urgency of the core message remains intact. A fast, fun and thought provoking movie, it deserves to be seen – and thanks to some innovative digital distribution, your local fleapit has no excuse for not putting it on.
