This movie was disappointing. Admittedly, the subject matter was difficult for writers and directors to deal with, as we all know the Martin handcart company had a sad ending. However, the acting was mediocre at best, the casting was horrific, and the attention to some of the details was so bad that I found myself thinking more about the film's faults than its strengths. I would give it one star except that it's worth seeing just for an historical perspective. The Iowa scenes that were filmed in the Rocky Mountains were particularly annoying. Almost everybody in Utah and Iowa knows there are no high mountains, oakbrush, desert mountains, and desert flats in Iowa. Also irritating was the failure of the script to explain proper and believable motivations for the actions of the characters. As an LDS member who really wants the truth about my faith to be shown on the big screen, I am not enthusiastic about this film. It was more a glorified road show on D movie budget.