Quote from nitro:
I always like to read the book first, since movies simply cannot do justice to most stories.
I have not seen the movie. Over new years eve, I discussed this book/movie with my sister-in-law and others that picked up the conversation. Her reaction appears to be that of most women - "I don't understand why anyone would do something so dumb and reckless". It was beyond her comprehension. On the other hand, most of the guys thought the movie was pretty cool (I said I could not comment on the movie, but that the book was a page turner.)
Imo many men find most of modern society too calculated, too apathetic, too controlled, too feminized. It is the same tyranny of spirit we feel when we are inside under the climate control of air conditioning. It is safe, it is comfortable, it is pleasing, but it is dead inside. We long for the adventure (that's not the right word, but I don't know what is - freedom?), even the deadly risk of pitting ourselves body and mind against something. The blood sweat and tears we shed is part of being set free from the barn that is society.
To me there was another dimension to the book that most could not comment on because they had not read Deep Survival, and there is no movie.
