EVEREST (2015) - Movie Review

Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Starring: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Elizabeth Debicki
Genre: Drama, Biography, Thriller, Adventure
Writer: William Nicholson, Simon Beaufoy
Runtime: 121 min
Rated: Rated PG-13 for intense peril and disturbing images
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), 4K Ultra HD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

On the morning of May 10, 1996, climbers (Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin) from two expeditions start their final ascent toward the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.

Review:

The allure of conquering Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth, is irresistable to thousands of climbers from all over the world. It's been over 70 years since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and thousands of climbers have since followed in their footsteps, of which over 340 have died in this unforgiving environment. Baltasar Kormákur's fact-based drama "Everest" chronicles the "1996 Mount Everest disaster", a tragic event that claimed the lives of eight people when a major storm hit full force on May 10th, 1996, effectively trapping two expedition groups on the mountain in the worst weather conditions imaginable.

New Zealand mountaineer Rob Hall and co-founder of high-altitude expedition company Adventure Consultants pioneered the idea of commercializing Mount Everest in 1991 by organizing trips to the summit. It didn't take long for others to get in on the action, and by 1996, Everest had become an overcrowded tourist attraction. Hall's expedition group teamed up with Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness crew in order to avoid "traffic jams" on the mountain, but a series of mistakes, as well as unforseen and unexpected events led to catastrophic consequences.

The script by William Nicholson ("Gladiator") and Simon Beaufoy ("127 Hours") does a fantastic job of putting together all of the real-life story's many elements, making it pretty easy to keep track of everyone and everything involved in what is essentially the anatomy of a disaster. The incredible ensemble cast also helps give the characters recognizable faces, making it easier to keep track of who's who. The star-studded cast includes Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Martin Henderson and Emily Watson. They all do a great job disappearing into the characters they play. It's just one of those films that is a masterclass in acting all around.

I was also impressed with how much of the true story they managed to depict, with very little changes or omissions, and without losing track of the human element at the film's core. Despite focusing on the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity, "Everest" is not a crowd-pleaser. On the contrary, it's a gut-wrenching downer that also reminds us of our helplessness in the face of nature's ruthless wrath, and the horrible decisions one has to make in order to survive. Don't go in expecting an action-packed adventure film like "Vertical Limit" or "Cliffhanger". It's more like the 2008 German drama "North Face" ("Nordwand"). It hits pretty hard.

On a technical level, the film is a gorgeous visual feast thanks to Salvatore Totino's amazing cinematography capturing both the adrenliane rush of Everest's dizzying heights and its awe-inspiring beauty. Real-life photography is almost seamlessly blended with CGI to create the illusion of being right there alongside the climbers. All the visual effects are mostly plausible and most of the time invisible, which is ideally how CG should work in movies. Oscar-winning composer Dario Marianelli ("Atonement") also wrote a beautiful score that is percussive and exciting when it needs to be, but also perfectly underscores the drama with poignant precision.

To sum it up, "Everest" is an impressively accurate account of a harrowing tragedy. It's perfectly written and directed, and showcases flawless filmmaking craftsmanship. I absolutely recommend you watch this movie. Even if you're not a climber, or don't have a particular interest in mountain activities, it's a deeply fascinating story. If the story ends up grabbing your interest, I would also recommend you watch the 45-minute 1998 IMAX documentary "Everest" narrated by Liam Neeson, which was in production when the disaster happened and features footage of the actual events. The film crew that shot that documentary was involved in the rescue efforts.

SCORE: 10/10