Long Way Down: The Complete TV Series (DVD)
Directed by: Russ Malkin and David Alexanian
Starring: Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman

A few years back, I heard about a new reality show that featured Ewan McGregor on a motorcycle trip of some sort, and at the time it sounded like just another celebrity cashing in on the reality TV craze. I don’t remember what made me want to look into it further, but I’m glad I did. Long Way Round was released on DVD back in 2005, and proved to be an amazing travel documentary series, following Ewan McGregor and his best friend Charley Boorman (actor and son of director John Boorman) on an epic journey of self-discovery and camaraderie all across Europe and Asia into North America.

I got hooked, to the point where Charley Boorman’s own solo TV series Race to Dakar also became must-see material for me. When I heard that Ewan and Charley would be re-uniting again for another trip down through Africa, I was thrilled, although I was a little bit worried that it was starting to become old hat. Were these trips turning into less of an adventure and more of a career for poor old Charley?

I needn’t have worried, because Long Way Down is another fascinating and addictive show, a project that certainly proves to be worthwhile for both participants and viewers alike. The plan this time around was to start in John O’Groats, Scotland, where Ewan’s parents live, and then ride down through France and Italy, take a ferry across to Tunisia, and then continue to wind down through Africa all the way to Cape Town. Along their path they cross through a dizzying multitude of terrains, cultures and wildlife, also stopping at major landmarks such as the Pyramids in Egypt and Victoria Falls in Zambia.

Ewan and Charley are joined by their cameraman Claudio, who also rides with them, and their support crew, who run separate but parallel paths in a couple of large trucks. After some initial road bumps, the trip starts to go fairly smoothly and you might think that it isn’t going to end up being as interesting or treacherous as Long Way Round. While it is true that they are more prepared this time, and obviously more experienced, there’s still nothing like the unpredictability of travel in a foreign land. There is no shortage of odd and funny moments, and also no shortage of awe-inspiring scenery and endearing encounters with the locals (both humans and animals). The gorillas in Rwanda seemed like an especially breathtaking experience. They also face some obstacles, including a do or die moment in Kenya where their vehicles get stuck in mud (comparable to, although not quite as nail-biting as, the river crossing along the Road of Bones from Long Way Round).

Throughout it all, Ewan and Charley maintain their sense of humour, humbleness and goofy optimism (although I do kind of wish they had documented the “rock bottom” moment when the team gets in a big argument for a day or two). Towards the end of the trip, Ewan’s wife Eve joins them for a while, which throws off the dynamic of the crew just a bit. During her portion of the trip, things progress without incident, although there is the added concern of her own inexperience riding a motorcycle. Her presence on the trip also takes away from the big emotional finale to a certain extent (although not for Charley and his family, obviously).

When the show originally aired on the BBC in the U.K., they only produced six episodes, and I was a little disappointed that the trip seemed so short and rushed. Now that the show has been released here in North America, they have once again been given a bit more freedom to let the episodes breathe and put back in a lot of good stuff that was left on the cutting room floor. Ten episodes feels about right to me, as it re-enforces the length of the trip and it fleshes things out, allowing you to feel partially “in the zone” just like they do.

This Special Edition DVD release also has a nice collection of deleted scenes and outtakes, along with a documentary that Ewan and Charley made called The Missing Face. It covers a previous trip they had taken to Africa prior to Long Way Down, and documents some of the lives of kids whose families died from Aids. Their hearts are in the right place, but this particular feature comes across feeling like a bit of a PSA for Unicef more than anything else.

Regardless, if you enjoyed any of their previous series, you will most definitely have a great time with Long Way Down. However, even if you haven’t seen the Long Way Round or Race to Dakar, there’s no reason why you can’t start here. If you enjoy traveling, motorcycles, or just want to see a different side of Ewan McGregor, I highly recommend picking up this DVD. Odds are you will end up planning your own trip sometime soon, because the spirit of this show is simply infectious.

Oh, and by the way — Charley’s already completed his next adventure: a show called By Any Means. It’s definitely turning into a career for him, and a pretty awesome one at that! — Sean

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