Please note this is a region 2 DVD & will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play Inspired by a true story & the hit Japanese film NANKYOKU MONOGATARI Frank Marshall&s (ALIVE CONGO) EIGHT BELOW captures a rugged world of ice snow & threatening weather that few will ever experience in person As a guide for a National Science Foundation Research Base in Antarctica Jerry Shepard (Paul Walker) is perfectly content to spend his time exploring the wilderness with his sled dogs & goofing around with his best buddy cartographer Charlie Cooper (Jason Biggs) Then UCLA geologist Davis McLaren (Bruce Greenwood) arrives at the camp with plans for a risky expedition treacherous ice fields make his target destination accessible only by dog sled so late in the season Soon Shepard McLaren & the sled dogs Maya Max Old Jack Buck Shorty Dewey Shadow & Truman are on their way in search of McLaren&s prize a meteorite from Mercury Unfortunately an approaching storm forces Shepard & McLaren to return to base early The return trip proves life-threatening but the dogs pull through saving both Shepard & McLaren from certain death The storm also forces the scientists to leave the research centre earlier than planned & there&s no room on board bush pilot Katie&s (Moon Bloodgood) plane for the dogs With the promise that someone will return for them immediately Shepard leaves his beloved dogs behind Soon however it becomes apparent that the weather has made a return trip impossible Can the dogs survive in the Antarctic wilderness on their own or will Shepard get back in time to save them? The dogs emerge as the most intriguing characters in the story each exhibiting a distinct personality & fierce loyalty The other major player is the wilderness itself a beautiful mysterious world that is rarely depicted on film