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List Price: $39.98 | | Label: EMI America Records
Salesrank: 5672
Released: October 14, 2008 |
| Our Price: $24.68 |
| Used Price: $30.97 |
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MPAA Rating:
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman return for another unforgettable adventure. Facing a brand new set of challenges the intrepid pair discover spectacular but unforgiving terrain, rich cultures and unforgettable local characters. They travel from John O'Groats to Cape Town descending through Western Europe and Africa before arriving at the southern most tip of the continent. On their incredible journey their endurance, biking skills, and friendship are tested to the limit. They are partnered along the way by friends and director/producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin who were responsible for organizing the expedition and filming the documentary. This 3 disc special edition contains the entire extended 10 part TV series of Long Way Down with an additional 2 hours of episode footage. It also features one hour of new extras, including Ewan and Charley's "The Missing Face" documentary - the story of the pair's first trip to Africa, unseen and extended footage, enchanced photo gallery and interactive route maps.
Long Way Down: Complete TV Series Reviews:
Travel, adventure and friendships along the way. 
2009-11-09 - If you like traveling and adventure, you'll love this. Although I enjoyed this I didn't think it was as good as "Long Way Round"; their motorcycle journey from England to New York, via Russia, Mongolia and other far flung countries. However, it is well worth seeing and may just encourage you to consider adding Africa to your list of destinations.
Review - Long Way Down Series
2009-09-14 - Ewan and Charlie have once again captured so much of what makes motorcycle adventure touring so enticing: far off locales, amazing scenery and video footage, packed and highly capable motorcycles, language barriers crossed by handshakes, smiles and a little money, on-road repairs, desolate camping sites, danger that can be quite up close and personal, and an all-together obvious camaraderie and enjoyment of the entire venture! Sure they had project and support vehicles, and they were never completely isolated from assistance, but in this age of electronic and digital communication, who isn't? I think the ease of communication was exemplified when Ewan's kickstand kill switch was broken in a tumble, and the bike wouldn't go into gear. Since they had no replacement parts, and no BMW mechanics nearby, Ewan placed a call to a European BMW tech who walked him through how to re-wire it and bypass the kill switch...simple!
The cultural shifts from one country to another were significant, and the poverty as well as the ravages of war crossed many international borders. As UNICEF representatives, I think Charlie and Ewan's presence at several orphanages along their route told stories about the country and the kids we'd never have known about otherwise. The deprivations were astounding, and should all make us feel especially blessed to live in the relative safety and abundance in the free countries we're in. Both my wife and I vicariously enjoyed the lengthy and demanding travels our friends were on, and more than once I wished to be able to join these fellas on their amazing trips. Bravo to Charlie and Ewan for sharing their journeys with us!
Long Way Down - excellent but could have been better
2009-09-06 - Long Way Round and Race to Dakar had a certain vibe. I was *so* looking forward to seeing that vibe again in Long Way Down. It was mostly there, but there were three major detractors:
1. Less focus on food and eating and what they were really thinking and doing, and what Claudio was doing, and their arguments, etc. (those appear to have been edited out or not filmed).
2. Ewan was all clean-shaven the whole time and more self- and power-conscious. I hope he can get back to how he was before, guess that's not probably possible. I missed his self-immolation in the trip from the first one.
3. Eve: I agree with an earlier poster that as a woman I am not criticising based on gender, but sorry, Eve just was not helpful on the trip. She was boring, it looked like she didn't even try to pick up her own bike when she fell over (many times). I concur with the earlier poster that Eve should not have inserted herself (for pretty much obviously selfish reasons). I was glad also that she wasn't there long. Charley was really nice and well-behaved about that whole thing. But Olly didn't drag things down by insisting on coming along, so he was out of the issue. Plus, Ewan and Charley are funny and interesting. When Eve was there, I found her quite dull, not being a guy who appreciates a cute face or whatever. I got tired of Ewan saying how great she was when she obviously wasn't, and I hope that Ewan and Eve can do their own trips separately from the "Long Way" series in future. Sorry to feel this way, as I'm all about girl power, but sheesh. I didn't sign on to see a girly girl with only a husband to recommend her get coddled along with the guys. Eve probably had a great time, and I'm glad Ewan liked having her there, but I found her to be a drag.
Apart from these negative observations, I loved how the team went through Africa. I felt like getting more involved in HIV/AIDS volunteering. I think they are great and overall this was a great show.
Motorcycle adventures for the non-bike fanatic 
2009-09-03 - Although I have never been (and likely never will be) on a motorcycle, this series of DVDs (Long Way Round, Race to Dakar and Long Way Down) is an engaging introduction to why so many people love their motorbikes and the real freedom that can come with that vehicle. The focal points of these DVDs are Ewan McGregor (of Star Wars and Moulon Rouge fame) and Charlie Boorman, who are extremely approachable and honest center-points to an extremely complex set of trips. They are supported by an amazing crew, who through every series you'd like to know a little more about, in some just inspiring locations.
If you just want to understand why people like bikes, this is a fantastic intro. If you are a motorcycle lover, who's trying to share with your family and friend (or even co-workers) why you love your motorbike, this may really get them to appreciate your passion. Regardless, the entire household will find themselves sucked in, watching every episode they can, and alternating between being glad is isn't them, and jealous that they weren't there. Since these are so addictive, It could turn into a major time commitment, when you pick up ONE of the series, and discover that now you really personally NEED to go through all the other ones too. If you watch an episode a night, you could find nearly a whole month gone into this wonderful series of adventures! I know I did.
Every DVD series (LWR, RTD, LWD) has a story arc that covers 3 basic premise points: 1) Cover (and record) a LOT of milage that isn't routine driving terrain / places for western Europeans or North Americans in a short or short-ish period of time; 2) Discover/document the some of the unique people, features and creatures that inhabit all the places they go and 3) Support UNICEF in places where they often literally mean the difference between life and death. All this while dealing with all the really random things that happen on any long trip. These episodes are not about how to fix the bike, or bike culture, or political statements. They are a video travelogue of the best type!
Self indulgent trail through Africa 
2009-08-13 - The title 'Long Way Down' could be a metaphor for this dreary piece of television. Working ones' way through this 3 DVD set is indeed a long way, and it's all down. We are offered a trip which is much more about a journey through the egos of these two guys than it is about any place they travel through. The program starts off like a MacGregor family video with big brother, ma, pa, BBQ plus a coterie of friends, and a melodramatic farewell scene which belies the fact that these guys are going on a 'Boys Own' jaunt of their own choosing. We are then introduced to the tiresome Mrs MacGregor who decides, that despite the fact that she's never ridden a motorbike, is going to come on part of this trip too. The whingeing that went on behind the scenes one can only wonder at - imagine Ewan MacGregor on the set of Star Wars "ahemm, excuse me Mr Spielberg, my wife would really like to play the part of Princess Leila".
Then we have the journey itself. Basically we are offered a road trip with fleeting scenes of countryside as this train of people pass through Europe and then chunks of Africa. There is virtually no engagement with any of the peoples or the cultures of the places travelled through, and what there is looks like a few minutes of staged tourist tat added on to a day riding a motor bike. Oh, and along the way they make a few gratuitous stops for some charitable cause or other - please! MacGregor makes constant reference to the fact that they spend most of the time riding their bikes and never get to see anything or stop anywhere. They have to get to a ferry by this time, they must get to the next border by that time. He is absolutely right, and the frustration he feels sat on his bike all day is reflected all to much in this DVD.
The Long Way Down was a lost opportunity. It could have been a wonderful piece of television about an amazing continent, instead it became a documentary about the making of this documentary. If you are looking for the charm and spontaneity of Long Way Round, you won't find it here. It's a shame because MacGregor and Boorman are two likeable guys.
I would add that the book 'Jupiter's Travels' by Ted Simon, often co-located on the same Amazon pages is a fantastic read even after 30 years. That book is everything that Long Way Down should have been - entertaining, insightful, sympathetic and informative. Buy that instead of this.
