I am far from being an animal person. I usually do not like animal movies either. Most movies about animals go to great lengths to make the animals extremely cute or human like. Too often animal movies become annoying as the animals out smart humans. Refreshingly enough, Eight Below treats its animals, for the most part, like animals.

A sled dog team is left behind in the antarctic when two men must be evacuated due to a broken leg and frostbite. Winter sets in before they can return to save the dogs. The dogs must then survive on their own as sled dog owner, Jerry, pines for their safety and deals with the guilt of having left them to almost certain death.

Paul Walker does a convincing job playing the sled dog owner, Jerry. His love for his dogs is evident in the way he calls them his kids. In the previews for Eight Below Jerry refers to the dogs as his family. That scene was clipped from the final movie. I am surprised that it did not make the final cut as Disney is constantly trying to redefine the family unit.

Jason Biggs is around as comic sidekick but he has very little to do but comment on his fear of flying and his dislike for being licked by a dog. Lucy did it better in Peanuts.

The ending of the movie is not a surprise as you can plainly see where the movie is going the entire time. The moment of truth is what keeps you watching. Although the final scene could have been milked for more tears it does play well enough to evoke feelings for Jerry as well as the dogs.

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