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Morning Light

Play trailer Poster for Morning Light PG Released Oct 17, 2008 1h 40m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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31% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Fifteen young men and women prepare for the adventure of their lives when they enter the TRANSPAC, one of the world's most prestigious open-ocean sailing competitions. They begin their training in Hawaii with world-class teachers, but it is the race itself, a 2,300-mile ordeal featuring top professionals, that molds them into a cohesive whole.
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Morning Light

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Critics Consensus

Breathtaking scenery aside, Morning Light is geared more for the sailing enthusiasts than for the average viewers.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: B- Feb 18, 2012 Full Review Michael O'Sullivan Washington Post Morning Light is a sunny, saltwater-splashed tale of inspiration. Oct 17, 2008 Full Review Claudia Puig USA Today The documentary is enjoyable, though it could have been edited more tightly. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 17, 2008 Full Review Bill Gibron PopMatters (T)his may be one of those achievements in human endurance that doesn't elicit cheers, but sneers. It's just too picture perfected to be powerful. Rated: 2.5/5 Jul 12, 2009 Full Review Peter Canavese Groucho Reviews A vanity project...[but also] a sincere love letter to sailing, as seen through the eyes of a handful of very lucky youngsters. [Blu-ray] Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 28, 2009 Full Review Rhiannon Sawyer FILMINK (Australia) Any time...personal history is touched upon, it is quickly shoved under the carpet in favor of yet another sailing montage, complete with compulsory sunset. Mar 13, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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RE M This is a movie I'll invite the Sea Scouts group, with which I volunteer, to watch. True, I have an interest in sailing, but I understood the main thrust of this movie is to talk about why serious sailing appeals to so many people, including the movie-makers. I can imagine young people really connecting with it. At least, I hope they would. Sailing is complicated and potentially expensive (mooring fees, anyone?). But...there are a LOT of ways to participate, like joining a Sea Scouts Ship ("Ship" is the term for Sea Scouts, vs. regular Scouting's "troop"), which can be low-cost or free, volunteering to crew on sailboats belonging to friends or friends of friends, or - something I'm enjoying very much these days - using VR technology to sail from home via MarineVerse Sailing Club on Meta or Steam. The bottom line is that sailing is one of the most easily accessible routes to real, primal adventure these days. It can be solitary or companionable. In a small boat, the technology is simple; in a larger boat, the technology and parts are numerous and the specialized lingo humbling. But, and this is an important but, sources of pride are often wrought through challenge and apprenticeship. I wish more people had a front row seat - like this movie offers - to the empowering wildness of harnessing wind and sea. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/25 Full Review Dale R A sports documentary about a group of college aged students who compete in the sailing competition known as the TRANSPAC. This film was produced by Roy E. Disney, who is a sailing enthusiast and felt heavily scripted, somewhat like a reality show with less drama. As someone who knows very little about the sport of sailing, I would have appreciated more explanations of the roles each person plays on the boat. There were also a few too many people to truly get to know during the run time of the film, so the connection with the audience isn’t strong. There are a few great character moments with raw emotion and it is interesting to see what it takes to sail from California to Hawaii. If you are into sports documentaries or this subject matter interests you, then this movie is worth checking out. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/07/24 Full Review Audience Member A sports documentary about a group of college aged students who compete in the sailing competition known as the TRANSPAC. This film was produced by Roy E. Disney, who is a sailing enthusiast and felt heavily scripted, somewhat like a reality show with less drama. As someone who knows very little about the sport of sailing, I would have appreciated more explanations of the roles each person plays on the boat. There were also a few too many people to truly get to know during the run time of the film, so the connection with the audience isn't strong. There are a few great character moments with raw emotion and it is interesting to see what it takes to sail from California to Hawaii. If you are into sports documentaries or this subject matter interests you, then this movie is worth checking out. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member Interesting movie about an interesting topic Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member Disney needs to stop producing these terrible documentaries. Entirely too long for a movie this boring. Completely unwatchable. (First and only viewing - 2/3/2011) Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member A well done documentary regarding a very talented group of young people, sailing as a team in the TransPac race from SoCal to Hawaii. Very well told story - concisely done, yet adequate time is given to selection of crew, training and the actual race. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Morning Light

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Movie Info

Synopsis Fifteen young men and women prepare for the adventure of their lives when they enter the TRANSPAC, one of the world's most prestigious open-ocean sailing competitions. They begin their training in Hawaii with world-class teachers, but it is the race itself, a 2,300-mile ordeal featuring top professionals, that molds them into a cohesive whole.
Director
Mark Monroe
Producer
Morgan Sackett
Screenwriter
Mark Monroe
Distributor
Walt Disney
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures
Rating
PG (Some Language)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 17, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$275.1K
Runtime
1h 40m
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