everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Blistering performances.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Hike! Hike! Hike!!! The Hunger Games ain't got S*** on this movie! I was privileged, I repeat, PRIVILEGED to have grown up with this film! VERY appropriately rated as a "Disney" film, yes! Families all around can enjoy this film! Along with "Balto", this flick introduced me to the sport of dog sledding! Also introduced me to many big Hollywood names, like Kevin Spacey, Brian Cox, Brian Ogden Stiers (RENOWNED for Disney movies), and especially August Schellenberg (R.I.P). They all played their appropriate roles. Although, I'll admit, I don't often like Kevin Spacey as an actor - always seems to act as antisocial & controversial characters. Also don't forget Richard Riehle, the guy who says "If you're late again, you're fired", near the beginning of the movie; classic character actor of the century (in over 300 films!!!). Plus, I like the idea of John Terry playing Will's father, and just all-round playing father figures - he's just so kind & likable.I'm utterly surprised to this day why this film is so overlooked & underrated! After all, 1994 *was* the big year of MANY big blockbuster films; maybe that's why it was so overlooked. Mackenzie Astin, the brother of Sean Astin (Sam from Lord of the Rings), is great in this film! Such an under-appreciated actor! IMO, he's even hotter & more talented than Leo DiCaprio. He plays a REAL ACE in this movie - I fully realize just how well-written his character is! If more people in the world were like his character, Will Stoneman, the world would be a much better place to live!A 6.5!!!?????? SERIOUSLY!??? This flick should switch around ratings with "Never Cry Wolf", which is a '7.6' a horrid & disappointing film that was downright BORING & ridiculous & uncomfortable to sit through, and should be totally removed from the "Walt Disney" category!!They're just so many good things in this film. The train always gets fabulous shots, too. That scene on the bridge of trying to outrun the train will always seem to scare me. LOLThe frostbite in this movie really sends shivers down my spine - after all, it was the movie that introduced me to the reality of "frostbite". Just looking at Stoneman at the end of the movie, he looks messed up! He gave everything he had to finish that race!I mean it, if I ever go on live TV, I'll make sure to bring this movie with me to show on air, just to give it the attention it deserves & needs!Disney Channel! Get this film on the air sometime! Or at the very least, Disney, re-release this movie so that we can again see the true story about Will Stoneman on the big screen!Beautifully directed, beautifully shot, and beautifully acted!9/10!!

Midwestern farm kid in 1917 enters a grueling Winnipeg, Canada-to-St. Paul, Minnesota dog-sled race. Live-action adventure from the Disney Studio, scrubbed clean with good intentions, seems to have come off the same conveyor belt as "The Journey of Natty Gann" and "Homeward Bound". It's old-fashioned and inoffensive, despite clichéd villainy and an impossibly corny slow-motion climax (not to mention gaps of logic so wide, you could drag a dog-sled through them!). Mackenzie Astin (real-life son of actor John Astin and actress Patty Duke) is fairly good in the lead, though the movie is poorly directed and edited, without an ounce of honest inspiration. ** from ****

How much of this story is true is up for dispute. I suspect most of it is highly exaggerated. Nonetheless, it is inspirational and fun to watch: an excellent adventure tale.The movie reminded me of "White Fang" with the winter scenery and the young hero, played by MacKenzie Astin, looking and sounding much like Ethan Hawke. The story was simply about a dog-sled race in the early part of the 20th century.The picture is beautifully shot, especially the train scenes, and looks very good on DVD. The villains in here aren't as despicable as in other films, so it's more pleasant to watch. I enjoyed the entire story except for the whistling at the finish line which was a bit stupid, but that's minor.This is one of Disney's better efforts.

IRON WILL Aspect ratio: 1.85:1Sound format: Dolby Stereo1917: In order to save the family farm after his father is killed in a tragic accident, a teenage boy (Mackenzie Astin) enters a lucrative 500 mile dogsled race from Winnipeg to Minnesota and experiences all manner of adventures along the way.Unashamedly old-fashioned drama for children of all ages, based (very loosely) on a true story of courage against the odds, played out against the backdrop of a world teetering on the brink of war. Actor-turned-director Charles Haid ("Hill Street Blues") bathes proceedings in a warm nostalgic glow whilst simultaneously turning the narrative screws for Astin (Sean's younger brother), and Joel McNeely's magnificent score swells repeatedly at various dramatic junctures, underlining the film's breathtaking visual splendor. As the young hero whose exploits offer a brief distraction from the nation's fear of international conflict, Astin is handsome and resolute and holds the screen with conviction, while Kevin Spacey provides heavyweight support as a hard-bitten journalist whose cynicism is dispelled by Astin's plucky fortitude. Also starring Brian Cox, David Ogden Stiers, August Schellenberg and George Gerdes as the chief villain, a nasty Scandinavian who seeks to crush Astin's spirit, to no avail. True, the storyline is contrived and melodramatic (especially the final sequence, when Astin finally crosses the finish line), and some viewers will find it obvious, corny and manipulative, while others will be swept along by the polished production values and heartfelt emotion. An irresistible confection from the Disney stable, and hugely entertaining.