Website messages from veterans cheering them on keep up the morale. A Kickstarter campaign helps them finance midway through.
Director of photography John Pope keeps things sharp and bracing; his work is augmented well by some evocative animation from Andrea Bitai and Peny Ashman that kicks in seamlessly when there are scenes that can’t be filmed.
As the veterans on board share their stories about how help after coming home had left them down, there’s an emotional undertow at work, especially when Rose pulls out another buddy’s American flag to fly when they reach their goal.
Alternately fighting heat and cold, there are just as many moments of just savoring the experience and it is an exhilarating trip for audiences to stag along on.
Especially satisfying is the update at the end when we learn how Greiger is doing, especially compared to how he started when the film began – drunk on tequila, escaping suicide only because his handgun misfired. By the end, he’s helping groups of other veterans take similar trips to help them with their own PTSD. But he’s also got a tequila business on the side to fund it.
“Hell or High Seas” is available on demand on outlets such as Apple TV, iTunes, YouTube, Vudu and Google Play It plays the Cinema Village in New York City Nov. 26 to Dec. 6.