Thor!
It's dangerous!
Thor!
Thor, do not do it!
Thor, you have to wait!
Thor, do not do it!
You can fall in the water!
Do not do it!
- Do not do it! - Do not do it! Do not jump!
- Come back, Thor. - Don't!
Thor!
Are you okay?
Cold ...
- I thought he was dead. - Cold ...
You tried to impress your friends, didn't you?
- Thank God that Erik saved you. - God had nothing to do with it.
I just don't get what drives you to do these things.
I hope you've learned your lesson...
and can promise that you'll never do something so dangerous again.
Promise?
No, there shouldn't be any smiling.
Just be yourself.
Monsieur!
Liv!
So, no smiling.
You look very handsome.
You will make this island famous.
It's going to be just like Darwin and the Galapagos.
When people hear of Fatu Hiva they think of one thing: Thor Heyerdahl.
You have to turn more towards the current.
Yes, but it's heavy.
Did not you know that the first Polynesians came from the west? - Yeah.
Imagine to paddle all the way from Asia against the current.
They must have had strong arms.
Yes.
Are you ok?
I'm fine.
It's fine.
Liv?
Listen to this.
- The same pineapple? - Yes.
This thing belongs in South America.
Perhaps it can swim?
Tei? Where did your ancestors come from?
We believe that Tiki ...
Tiki, the sun god, -
took us to these islands...
from the land behind the sea.
From the east? "L'est?"
Everything comes from the east.
Ocean currents, wind and sun.
Tiki navigated towards the sun.
Tiki!
Excuse me? You're Norwegian, right?
I couldn't avoid hearing your conversation in there.
- Are you a sailor? - No, but I can tell you aren't either.
It will lessen the resistance considerably. We engineers just can't resist.
- Are you an engineer? - But now a days mostly selling refrigerators.
Herman Watzinger.
- Thor Heyerdahl. - And you are going sailing?
All indications in the same direction...
There is no doubt. It's entirely possible to drift all the way there...
on the ocean currents. It's the wind and current that's key...
I have one month to finance and get the entire expedition ready. A lot to do.
The money ready before Christmas, buying the balsa in January...
- Can I help you? - We have an appointment.
The money in place before Christmas buy balsa ...
- You are not on the list! - Look under his name. Watzinger.
We build in March and sail in April. Then arrive in August...
and hope the hurricane season starts late.
Peter Freuchen.
He is like the captain of this place.
I'm 32 years old.
A refrigerator salesman in a broken marriage.
And I really, really want to join the raft. That's me.
but if you only knew how dangerous the refrigerator business was.
No one can save us out there. You get that?
Except your theory.
Captain.
You will definitely not freeze your leg off. I can promise that.
- Bamse thinks you're Santa. - You need to tell him it's not like that.
No, you can tell him that yourself. They are so excited to get you home.
It will be so good to have you back home, Thor.
Yes Liv, the situation is...
that I haven't been able to finance the expedition.
So I actually have to go to Peru right now.
You're not coming home?
It's been difficult, Liv. It's been very hard.
I've been all around town begging, and I can't do it any more.
Don't do this.
- I have to, Liv. - Please Thor, don't do this to the kids.
Don't you get it? If I come home now, it's over.
I've spent 10 years on this, Liv! I've spent 10 years!
You can't even swim!
I'm going to ask Torstein Raaby and Knut Haugland if they will join.
- What do they know about sailing? Not much, but they can use a radio.
And I'm going to ask Erik. He can navigate and use a sextant.
You should have come home.
- Or you should have asked me to join. - Live, dear Liv.
You know I would have said no for the boys' sake.
Liv. Come to Tahiti.
Meet Us
Bring the boys. And we can show them Fatu Hiva.
Liv?
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas then!
Ready?
Yes.
Callao, Peru February 1947
- Hey! - I'm so happy!
You should be, it took me 3 weeks getting here. Bastard.
This is Herman Watzinger my second in command.
For the simple reason that without him no one could have been first in command.
Herman these are my two fantastic radio operators.
Torstein. War Hero. Nerves of asbestos.
As far as we know, he has only two weaknesses: whiskey and women.
Knut Haugland. Also a war hero.
And I know Knut hates me for saying it,
but I must be allowed to call him a legend. That is what you are, Knut.
Erik Hesselberg
No legend.
But you have saved my life. Erik and I grew up together in Larvik.
Erik has one unique skill that we are going to appreciate.
Erik has in fact been at sea before.
- I'm sure you have some questions? - Maybe I should introduce you first?
This is Thor.
A pompous, self-centred weirdo. But a very good leader.
And because he is, we are about to do what Tiki did 1500 years ago.
We are going to... We will build a raft.
- And ... - And drift into the sunset.
Where is the raft?
You're sitting on it.
Here you are.
- That's what we are going to build? - It is.
And exactly that. We are using the same technique,
and the same materials as Tiki used 1500 years ago.
This is extremely important. Everything depends on it.
And I hope everyone gets that. All I've brought is a radio and a pocket knife.
We're going to need a lot of equipment
Yes we do. And when the money arrives, we'll buy what we need.
- Yes? - Thor Heyerdahl?
- Yes. - My name is Bengt Danielsson.
- I'm a little busy right now. - I saw this yesterday.
And now you're going to tell me we'll sink after two weeks.
Or the raft will disintegrate, or what do you think? Giant squid?
No. I thought I'd show you how to assemble the camera.
Like that!
- You're a photographer? - No. Ethnographer.
- Just spent a year in the Amazon. - But you can use a camera?
Let me come on the raft, and I'll show you.
You can earn a lot from a documentary. If it's well made.
Let me guess. There was no money.
So the president of Peru calls the US Navy...
who then tells us to come over. We'll get everything we need.
In return, do we have to invade Polynesia on behalf of Peru?
And you thought he was the waiter?
Soups, floating knives, desalination tablets,
dinghies, fish tackle, canned food... - ... shark repellent.
- What? - The shark repellent. - That's what we want you to find out.
That's good. How much can we fit down there?
- I've got ten so far. - What about back there?
- It is completely full. - That's good.
An amputation-saw...
Prepared for anything
Are you sure about the refrigerator seller?
Herman, how are those coming along?
Herman, how is it with the ...
- What have you brought, Bengt? Besides books. - Nothing.
Except the hope that I'll finish them all.
There is much more space with us
- It's not so cramped. - Erik. Extend your leg!
No matter what, we'll sleep like sardines in a can.
Nothing but fish for three months. I need another steak.
Thor, I've thought of something.
What about a small test run?
Just for a few days. We'll still be off before hurricane season.
- No, it's too risky - Risky?
Yes. Besides, Tiki already tested for us.
Cheers!
- Tiki! - Cheers to Tiki!
Cheers ...
- Excuse me - No, Torstein ...
This is all we have Liv.
I have faith it will be okay. It will be okay.
The boat!
It's the boat, Liv!
Wait!
No!
- No! - Liv!
Wait!
Help!
Over here!
Help us here!
We are leaving in a couple of hours, Liv.
I just wanted to say goodbye to you and the boys.
Goodbye, Thor.
- I've brought lots of drugs this time. - That's good.
- I hope you won't have to use them. - What?
I hope you won't have to use them!m!
Yes yes. So do I.
The boys say "good luck".
Thank you.
And you?
Do not be mad at me, Liv.
Liv. If I make this...
everything will change.
I won't have to fight like this Liv.
I just hope that 100 days from now the children will still have a father.
I can't hear ... What?
Nothing, Thor.
Nothing.
I can barely hear you now. What did you say?
Losing connection here now, Liv! Sorry ....
Thor, over here!
Hello!
How's it going?
- We'll see. - He's doing the best he can Thor.
- Anyone want more tomato soup? - No thanks.
If we get wind from the west now. We'll blow right back to Callao.
Tiki got wind from the south.
- There it is again. Fuck! - How do you get it around?
Tighten the sail in the front. We'll get more wind behind.
Tighten the rope starboard.
- You need it further up, Thor. - Behind?
Further up! We'll get more momentum to steer with.
Come on.
Ouch! Fuck!
- Are you okay? - Fuck.
Slacken more rope starboard. More rope starboard!
- Where is starboard? - Right!
My God!
Won't budge. It's completely off course.
- We can't even steer. - It's fine.
We'll just use the oar to keep the bow forward. That's fine for now.
Awesome Great job.
Just relax and enjoy.
In 100 days, you can start a Peruvian crab colony in Polynesia.
That's not bad, eh?
Would have liked it even more if we were heading towards it, but...
I think it works better if you take off the lens cap.
There.
Yes ... Only 100 days left now.
Was it a shark?
You should get some sleep.
You have watch in a few hours.
Thor?
Remember those sailors in New York?
The guys who said the logs would rub against each other until the rope broke.
We should have used some wire.
These ropes held 1500 years ago, and they will hold now.
And if you won't trust Tiki, you can trust me.
Does anyone know if they are edible?
Flying fish.
Must taste like a wonderful mix of herring and grouse.
Herman, you should hold on to something.
If you fall overboard, you'll stay there. It'll be hard to turn around and pick you up.
Good that one of us has been to sea before.
- Drowning is the best way to die. - I wouldn't say that.
You'll manage one minute under water, maybe two. Then you breathe.
You swallow a lot of salt water. First you'll be suffocated.
The water pushes down your lungs and your stomach, where it mixes with stomach acid.
A chemical reaction makes it feel like you are burning from the inside out.
And then the panic makes your heart race.
You'll pop a lot of blood vessels on the inside.
Then you swallow more and more water.
And then you die.
All in all.
Three, four minutes... Five.
Does your life flash before your eyes?
Yeah.
And the experts say that's the worst part.
Damn radio! Fuck!
Just forget it. Torstein.
- What did you say? - Andes mountains ...
The Andes are hundreds of miles away. Ok?
Just stay in bed. Can't risk you vomiting on the radio.
Look at the chart, then
As long as we're just drifting up the coast, we'll be in radio shadow.
I need radio contact, guys.
Exposure is money. And I need to pay for this.
That's right, Thor. Keep on filming.
I only care about getting in contact with the Coast Guard.
They'd never arrive in time anyways. If anything should happen I mean.
North northwest. That's good.
You know that the south equatorial is to the west?
Yes I know.
Since we can barely steer and are way off course, I mean.
You know you can't wish for a new course.
There are some rules at sea.
- Should we wake the boys? - No.
Just some rain.
They can sleep.
Everyone on deck!
Come on!
Get the sail down!
Thor!
Tie yourself down Thor!
Everyone, tie yourselves to the boat!
Cut the sail!
Cut it!
Get the sail down!
Thor!
Thor, grab my hand!
Thor!
That went well, eh?
Twelve degrees five minutes -
Two seconds south.
Eighty degrees, fifty-five minutes...
Course north-northwest.
What does that mean?
52.8 nautical miles.
That is?
2.3 ... 2.2 knots.
Yeah.
That's not so bad, right?
Our course is still too northerly. We are here. After four days.
The worst that can happen now is that we'll drift back to land?
The worst that can happen now is that we'll drift up here.
Straight into the maelstroms south of the Galapagos. That's where we are headed.
- I've never heard of anything like that there. - Please. Look ...
It will be fine. Have faith it will be fine, and it will be fine.
I have plenty of faith.
The problem is, I also have a sextant!
It's nicely illustrated.
We need to get it higher.
- Need it higher. - Can you get it higher?
Roger that.
Higher!
There!
We have something.
- He's transmitting from Los Angeles. - Can he contact the press?
Here comes the money, Thor!
I lost him.
No, no! No!
Damn! Fucking shit bird!
Let her be.
Why did we bring the bird again?
Good question.
What do you say, Thor?
It was a gift.
Come on.
Bengt ... Bengt, get the camera.
Get the camera, Bengt!
The camera, Bengt!
Bengt, get the camera.
Whale shark. Harmless.
Harmless? Are you insane? It can tip us in a second.
- They are sacred in Vietnam. - They call it "Ca Ong": Mr. Whale.
Bengt, camera!
Here it comes.
Look at that!
- Bengt! Where's the camera? - I'm charging it!
- It hit me! - No, it's just eating from the raft. Relax.
Where is it?
Look at that!
No, put it down. Put it down.
No!
Erik!
Come here.
Herman, are you deaf? Didn't you hear what he said?
- It would topple us. - You follow orders!
- Keep it together. - Come
I'm sorry.
Fuck!
- Yes ... - Yes?
- He didn't listen to you. - No, but it's my job to say that.
Hey ...
He sells refrigerators.
He was scared. It just happens.
- How are you? - I'm fine
I'm fine.
People who have a lot of thinking to do...
They should try this.
Drifting in the Pacific.
Hey, Lorita.
- That was us long ago. - Us?
Yes we started that way.
As small organisms in the water.
Were we that beautiful?
Probably.
But since then it has gone straight to hell.
Thor?
The shark... Or whale... Whatever it was.
- Is Knut okay? - He's fine.
Don't worry about it.
You're on the oar?
Yes, trying to get on the bus to the south equatorial.
If it hasn't already left that is.
It hasn't.
Could be.
No.
It can't be.
- Are you building a lifeboat? - No, it's for my daughter.
She's six months old.
I doubt that her first words will be "daddy".
Torstein?
I need to talk to the press. Come on.
I'm trying, okay?
I have a young daughter at home too.
We aren't getting a signal, so there's nothing you can do anyways.
Just fix the radio. Then I'll show you what I can do.
- The Andes can't still cast a shadow. - They can when we don't have the balloon.
That fucking bird.
- We do not have enough power. - It's not about watts Torstein
Fuck!
Shit!
Can you put out that cigarette?
Look!
There's something down there.
Look at that.
Look at it!
It protects against sharks.
Yeah. Sure...
- Are you going down? - No. Bengt.
That's right. Send the Swede!
Shark!
The wood is soaked. Just like you showed me.
Showed?
I broke off a piece and tossed it overboard. It sank like a rock.
The raft is absorbing water, Thor.
It looks worse than it is.
We're not even on the right course.
You'll take an extra watch.
As far as I know, everyone has a job to do! We're not on vacation.
Yes we have him.
Ready?
Yes.
- You okay? - Yes.
- You sure about this? - Yes. People want to see the raft.
Hands inside. It's about 5000 metres deep here. Don't lose it.
Shark! Let's go!
- We got you. - Come on!
I got you.
It's okay.
Bengt?
- Why are you feeding the sharks soup? - It's shark repellent from the Americans.
No, it's tomato soup.
- Where's the shark repellent? - Well, apparently we ate that.
?Come on happy seaman?
?You will get my red rose?
?You are beautiful. I am young?
?Sing from the heart, sing?
?You are beautiful. I am young?
?Sing from the heart, sing?
?The girl in Havana ...?
Lorita?
Lorita!
No!
Watch your legs!
Stop it! We'll attract more sharks!
Please!
Please.
It's our only chance.
Our only hope now is to try and reinforce the ropes.
Tighten everything up again.
Herman ...
We built this raft just like Tiki did, and he made it there.
And so will we.
- This is the faith we have. - Faith?
This isn't a religion Thor. This is ... insanity.
This is bigger than us.
Please.
Look at the logs. Feel how your raft is moving.
- Tiki knew. - My God, you understand nothing?
There's no one here except you who believes in Tiki!
No?
Then what the hell are you doing here?
I beg you.
All I'm asking is that we secure ourselves...
With a few modern materials.
Please?
No!
At least I'm not going to freeze my leg off.
Herman!
Herman, grab the rope!
Grab the oar!
Hold on!
The rope is too short!
Throw the shark overboard!
Pull the rope in again.
Throw it!
Herman, stay calm!
No, Knut!
Throw the rest of the shark out!
Three years ago, I shot four men.
The Gestapo found me with a radio.
It was war.
That's what Torstein says.
He helped sinking the Tirpitz. 1000 men went down.
But that doesn't bother him.
Thank you.
You're the one who saved my life.
That's what I mean.
Thank you.
I couldn't have saved you.
I can't swim.
I know that. Thor
Everyone knows that.
What time is it?
Ten past two.
- Are you sure? - Yes, ten past two.
- We need to talk. - Go ahead.
We are on the south equatorial.
On our way to Polynesia.
- Are you sure? - Yes. 100%.
Oh my God!
Look at that!
We are there! We are on the way, boys.
- Is it true? - Are we there?
I knew it.
No, you didn't!
Herman!
Are you happy now?
Were you ever in doubt?
It is as if we are the only people left in the universe.
Maybe we are.
Maybe they've dropped bombs on each other.
And every city is like Hiroshima.
I doubt we would have had radio contact Bengt.
Maybe we've just been accepted.
By nature.
And we've become like a seagull or a fish.
Bird.
Look!
A bird.
What is going on?
Look!
We have traveled over 8000 kilometres, boys...
But the fact is that the greatest danger is still ahead.
- People? - No.
The Raroia reef.
It lies like a wall around the entire island, with sharp coral.
Why didn't you tell us?
It was impossible to know exactly where we would end up.
We can try to push the course southward.
And hope to hit Samoa in about ... 30 days.
- No way. - What alternatives do we have?
We could try to surf over.
Surf?
Yes.
Waves come in cycles of 13
Every 13th wave is substantially greater than the other.
When we are close to the reef...
We throw out an anchor, something heavy that can keep the raft in place.
And so?
Then we count the waves. And just before the 13th wave -
We cut the rope, and hopefully, surf over the reef.
It could work.
I like it.
Let's do it.
- That's what we'll do. - Good. Start by finding something heavy.
We have some broken radio batteries and jerry cans.
Thor?
Liv asked me to give you this.
I think you were supposed to get it when we got to land, but...
Put on shoes.
Everyone, put on shoes!
Herman, you can start when you're ready.
Throw the anchor!
One!
Did you ever consider bringing life jackets?
Two!
Three!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
It snapped! Hold on!
Thor!
My love Thor.
You made it!
You proved what Tei told us that night on Fatu Hiva.
You don't need to learn how to swim.
Should you fall in the water, you would float on willpower alone.
As you might have understood, I'm not in Tahiti waiting for you.
Because what was supposed to be our lives, turned out to just be yours.
You are who you are.
And you're going to spend the rest of your life chasing sunsets.
Thor, this wasn't about exploring the Pacific Ocean.
More important than going, was why you had to go.
Why you couldn't stop yourself from putting everything behind you,
steering towards the unknown.
But that is you,
- My beloved Thor.
And the irony is that the thing I love you the most for
is what drove us apart.
Liv.
Bengt fell in love with Polynesia.
He settled there and became a Consul General of Sweden.
He died in 1997.
Erik built himself a sailboat, that became his home for 11 years.
He worked as an artist until his death in 1972.
Torstein kept going on expeditions.
He died in 1964 during an attempt to reach the North Pole on skis.
Knut resumed his career in military intelligence.
He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Kon-Tiki museum.
He died the Christmas of 2009.
Herman became the director of UN's Food and Agriculture organization.
He died at Titica lake in 1986.
Thor wrote a book about Kon-Tiki. It was translated to over 70 languages,
and sold over 50 million copies.
The documentary about the expedition won an Oscar.
Liv and Thor divorced after the Kon-Tiki expedition.
Their boys lived with Liv, who later moved to the US where she died in 1969.
Thor continued his work as an experimental archaeologist, author and explorer.
He died in 2002. 87 years old.