Quest for Fire: A Review of Human Evolution on Film

Quest for Fire: A Summary Review

A film chronicling the evolution of tribes in their quest for fire and how they related to each other. It mainly relates the story from the point of view of a nomadic group who accidentally acquire fire. At that time, they understand fire, are dependent on it, and use it to defend themselves from predators and keep warm. These tribes know how to use fire, care for it, and fight for it, but they cannot yet create it. One of the villagers extinguishes it by accident, and a group of three decides to go in search of fire for the tribe.

During their search, they experience multiple difficulties but slowly advance in their dominion over fire, so that by the end of the film, they manage to master its creation. Finally, they find their tribe and see that the fire is cared for and highly celebrated. However, they accidentally extinguish it again, but after several attempts, they manage to light the fire, thus mastering it in some way.

The film is a representation of what is believed to have happened in those years, but everything is based on assumptions and theories. It is created based on the assumed intelligence of human beings and the perceived need for the discovery of fire, along with the benefits we found and the importance given to continuing to use it and not losing it in any way.

The film assumes and reflects that tribes mainly operate by their instincts and are blinded by them. Their only concern, and the reason for wars, is fire. The social organization is very clear, and in most tribes, there isn't a clear leader. Their tools are very rudimentary, basically sticks they use to fight and protect the basket where the fire is kept. The later tribe has slightly more advanced tools compared to other tribes. Their social organization is also of a higher order and is not driven so much by instinct but streamlined in a better way.

You also see a bit of human selfishness reflected in the film, where tribes could share fire perfectly well instead of starting wars over it. Also, there's the indifference of the members of these tribes towards their dead, treating them in a certain way as if it just happens to them. But these traits are otherwise reflected in the most advanced tribe because, although more advanced, their feelings are still really selfish compared to other tribes, not sharing the secret of making fire that they have discovered and mastered. And they don't always teach comprehensively how to do it.

This film is very well done considering its years of production, showing a possible reality of that time. It addresses the details quite accurately and shows many facets of how those tribes could have been. It showcases the evolution of the ingenuity of the tribes and how they progressed through their own merits.