The Road to Patagonia Review – Breathtaking Cinematography, Excellent Road Trip Adventure

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Category: UK A&E, Lifestyle, Culture

Published on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 11:18

Written by Janet Walker

The Road to Patagonia, from Kaleidoscope Distribution, presents a breathtaking road trip film that travels from the Alaskan Wilderness down the western seaboard to Patagonia, Chile as the narrator leave his Australian home to surf the pacific.

Matty Hannon, who provide some background on his life choices, before he decides to drop out of the Aussie rat race on this once in a lifetime adventure. By the time he packs his bags for the western hemisphere, he has lived off the grid in Sumatra, Indonesia, as he was able to transfer his love for surfing and his degree in ecology, into employment. He lived in a thatched hut, no running water, and learned to spearfish to eat, and learned about societies so unencumbered by the outside world, but still very happy.

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After five years, Hannon returns to Melbourne, Australia and begins his working life. The culture shock overwhelming and as he says, it made him money, but left him weak, time poor, and mentally unchallenged. It was slowly strangling him.

His love for surfing seem to propel him, and he began looking for opportunities to, once again, break away from the commodification of society, and do his own thing. So, on a whim, he booked a ticket to Alaska.  He built a custom made motorcycle, that could carry all his equipment, plus his surfboard, and he would travel the pacific coast from the Alaskan Wilderness, through the Canadian Rockies, down the through North America to Patagonia, Chile.

He begins the journey in a remote section of Alaska, and like most when they venture into the deep wilderness, they are unprepared for the reality of that they are encroaching on the home of wild animals, and not the other way. His close calls with bears and wolves are documented. And his good fortune, of finding nice waves to surf, and not being eaten by wild animals, holds out as he makes his way through the Alaskan wilderness.

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Once he arrives in the Canada, and the land becomes more populated, he by chance meets a permaculture farmer, Heather, and the two instantly connect. Even, as he explains, he could have stayed with her, his lifechanging journey was calling him, and the road, was for the next two years, was his home.

Even as he departs, and continues to document the trip through North America, and the pacific coast, her presence was always with him. Soon, he has surfed and traveled through Los Angeles, and San Diego, and is staying for a minute in Mexico, when the first upset in his odyssey nearly upends the entire journey. His specially made motorcycle, with all his equipment, is stolen.

As Matty is an easy going chap, his vibe is laid back cool, until his bike is stolen. Then, and anyone who has made a mistake of trusting in humanity, we see a new side. After his bike is stolen, he is stuck in Mexico for five weeks. During this time, he explains he has been writing Heather, and she decides to join him, and flies to Mexico. He manages to hook up with some other friends, in this global community of laid back cool people, and together they help him.

Once the journey continues, the cinematography becomes more vivid, more breathtaking, as they stay in Baja, with expansive empty beaches, endless horizons, and intoxicating sunsets, as the golden orange rays sink slowly. It was inspiring.

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What began as a single man's life changing journey, as taken on new meaning as Heather, who sold her farm to join Matty, becomes part of his life. The remainder of the trip, from Baja to Patagonia, lasted two years, and as they grow closer, the ruggedness of the journey also pulls them apart.

Of course, as they travel through these regions, many of which are being destroyed by fast agriculture, we also see the destruction that industries are creating by encroaching on the lands, cutting down the forests, polluting the waters, and stripping these communities of the scared lifestyles.

The Road to Patagonia is a must see. The cinematography is breathtaking and brings into the living room distant and remote locations that many will never have the chance to enjoy. It is a road trip adventure for anyone who has tamped down their wanderlust spirit, and for those who have longed for the courage, even for a moment, to throw it all away for the lifechanging odyssey.

The Road to Patagonia invites you to take a break from digital life and reconnect with yourself, the Earth and each other. Premiering exclusively on the Icon Film Channel for one month from 30th May, before hitting UK cinemas on 27th June. It is a must see.

Beginning July 28, The Road to Patagonia is available on digital. See it.

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Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays, "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She is completing the non-fiction narrative, "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," which is expected to be released in early 2025. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a former member of the International Federation of Journalists.