Rocky Mountain Express (2011)

Directed by: Stephen Low | 45 minutes | documentary, history | Dutch voice over: Erik de Zwart

With over 4,600 kilometers of track, the Canadian Pacific Railway is one of the longest railways in the world. The construction of this railway, which runs from the Canadian cities of Montreal in the east to Vancouver in the west, was a hell of a job more than a century ago. Between 1880 and 1885, many workers, often foreign, were killed in this project, either by explosions or by the forces of mother nature. But the final result is impressive, the Canadian Pacific Railway is one of the most breathtaking railways in the world. The documentary ‘Rocky Mountain Express’, which can only be seen in the Netherlands in the gigantic round Imax room of the Omniversum in The Hague, looks back on the horrors that the construction of this railway entailed and how this impressive project was successful. has come into being.

In ‘Rocky Mountain Express’ the emphasis is on the beautiful Canadian nature through which the railway winds. The documentary takes a look at all the critical points of the line, with brilliant names like Hell’s Gate or the Jaws of Death as well as the infamous Rogers Pass, named after Major AB Rogers, creator of this extremely steep passage. Yet it is especially the beautiful images of the Rocky Mountains, which come into their own much better in the Imax room, that will stay with you. Places like Banff, Lake Louise and many other gems Canada has to offer are covered. The helicopter shots in particular, where the camera climbs over the mountain, as it were, and then treats you to a breathtaking view, are truly magnificent. For those with a fear of heights, these dizzying shots can get a little too much, so be warned.

It’s a shame that ‘Rocky Mountain Express’ doesn’t have much to offer outside of the spectacular visuals. The accompanying voice is recorded in Dutch by train enthusiast Erik de Zwart and is perhaps just a bit too sweet. The biggest downside, however, is that the film is not really educational. The information you get is superficial and mostly consists of some statistics and facts. It doesn’t get really deep anywhere. What remains now is little more than a tribute to the environment through which the train runs. The fact that in this case it is one of the most beautiful pieces of nature on earth means that ‘Rocky Mountain Express’ largely gets away with it and is therefore definitely worth a visit.