The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey (1988) [PG]

Do not confuse this film with the children's movie Flight of the Navigator. This movie is definitely for grownups!

The year is 1348. A mining village in Cumbria, north of England, has just welcomed back one of its residents, Connor. Connor comes bearing tales of the spread of the Black Death. Although this village is isolated, it is inevitable that the plague will come to them. Connor's younger brother, Griffin, is a nine-year-old with second sight. He has a vision that all will be well if the villagers put a cross on the spire of an unknown church that is far away. He also believes that the quickest way to reach this church is by digging down in the mine.

Griffin, Connor, and three of the bravest men undertake this journey. They dig down and somehow reach Auckland, New Zealand in 1988! Up until this point, the movie has been in black and white. But similar to Dorothy reaching Oz, the modern age is in color. Usually this type of fish-out-of-water movie is played for laughs, but instead, this movie is from the point of view of the villagers. The villagers continue on their mission, filled with wonder at what they see.



Although the men do not question how they arrived here, they deal with each obstacle within the scope of their experience. Their first challenge is crossing a four-lane highway. They are in awe of the beasts that approach them so very swiftly and continue going rather than fighting them, as they beasts they normally would encounter would do.

Because of their sincere belief in Griffin's vision and their mission, they continue on. Not only must they find the church, but they must also find a foundry that will make the spike they need to mount the cross. They sincerely believe that this is the only way to save their village from the plague. But Griffin's vision also has some troubling aspects. Will all of his vision come true?

What a fascinating concept! It is said that the director first got the idea when he attempted to cross the Autobahn and ended up stuck in the middle. 

The subtitle for non-American release was An Odyssey Through Time.

The film does have the feel and look of a real Medieval tale. Although low budget, the movie is beautifully produced. The movie was chosen for competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Although won no awards, it received a five-minute standing ovation.

If you are looking for something really different to watch, this is it!

DIRECTOR: Vincent Ward. CAST: Hamish McFarlane, Bruce Lyons, Chris Haywood, Marshall Napier, Noel Appleby, Paul Livingston, Sarah Pierse.

AWARDS: 21 wins and 4 nominations.