Comeback Home (2022)

This story was on thin ice

Donnie Yen took a dramatic turn without the benefit of his martial arts skills in Comeback Home aka Polar Rescue. This family thriller about a lost child set in a beautiful snowy wilderness was marred by poor storytelling.

A De and his family are on their last day of vacation having a blast playing in the snow at a resort. He has promised his son a trip to Lake Tian to see the monster living there. Finding the road closed due to inclement weather they take an alternate route where their car ends up stuck in a snowy pothole. A De and his wife manage to dislodge the car but their son Lele throws a fit and nearly gets everyone injured when another car comes up the road. When the eight-year-old’s temper tantrum escalates, A De leaves him there to teach him a lesson while he drives his wife and daughter to a nearby store. When A De returns, his son is nowhere to be seen.

I was looking forward to watching Yen in a non-martial arts film and he did fine here as the worried and hotheaded father. The winter scenery was gorgeous. The music while melodramatic fit the film. Where Polar Rescue slipped and fell was in the writing. A De’s initial response seemed utterly unbelievable for a caring father. At times the search and rescue teams were portrayed with all the propaganda they could fit in. At other times they were incompetent, unprofessional, and petty. If only perfect people were worthy of rescue, no one would ever be rescued. I found most of the characters’ actions baffling and at times infuriating.

Comeback Home had interesting moments and many that strained credulity. If you are a fan of Donnie Yen or family dramas where a member is in danger you might want to give this a try. Or if you are simply in need of a film with snow continuously falling. If you’ve ever known someone who has worked search and rescue or you need your thrillers to make a modicum of sense, you’ll want to avoid this one.

19 November 2024

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Very interesting for a first watch

The movie is quite interesting, storyline wise - I would say it is alright. I would not say it is the best story line but one that makes me question how can the "dad" in the movie try teach the kid a lesson that way?! I would definitely agree that it is like 100% the father's fault. You just do not leave your child alone in an unknown place just to "teach" the child! Donnie Yen definitely did a remarkable job portraying his role very well. The ending of the movie, definitely not expected, was a very sad ending.

There isn't much music noticed when watching the show. There are definitely on the toes moments and it keeps you wondering if the boy will be found in the end. But nonetheless, the movie is a great first time watch, however - for me personally - I would not go for a re-watch , no matter how much I love Donnie Yen's movies.

I would feel sad and sorry for any child or person who get lost in the wilderness, however, in this movie.... I would just say the fault of the parent. Bad parenting. Not the right way of teaching your kid - no matter how angry the kid made you.

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