Everest

A precise survival drama with a fantastic cast that in some cases is too good given the few lines they have. The experiential capacity of the film is substantial. In some scenes it manages to grip and amaze, not only through the mountain setting, but also with the convincingly performed suffering of the leading characters. Things get unfortunately a little chaotic after some time with them covered in jackets and hoods and with the snow falling, they all look very similar and there were moments that I wasn’t really sure who was who. But overall, a recommending thumbs up. (26/09/2015)

There couldn’t be a better director for such a story than Baltasar Kormákur. In my opinion, there is no other European nation than the Icelandic nation more connected with nature, and therefore they could tell totally everything with such a story. But since Baltasar is an Icelander and what’s more a capable director, he took up the storywhere the actors play second fiddle and Everest itself really plays the main role. I gained a lot of respect for it right from the first minutes and as Baltasar had no less capable cameraman, I experienced not only respect, but I also enjoyed the endless sceneries that were absolutely flawless. And the best part was that digital technology is used so little that you won’t even notice it. This movie is a huge film experience that I won’t easily forget. In many scenes, it says more than any viewer can catch, and at the same time, it tries to tell that story from 1996 as it actually could have happened, in a raw and realistic manner. (22/10/2015)

Raw and majestic. Where most people would have long since given up mountain climbing, Kormákur has no trouble in handling the dramatic plane, but he also has the enthusiasm to climb to the top of the world. The central story itself is very powerful, but the down-to-earth approach that removes any possible pathos forces you to value it all the more. Deaths are ordinary, without tension build-up and so have greater impact. Great acting performances. Worthington at last has a proper role, but not major. Keira will tempt moisture from your eye. Beautiful music. (24/09/2015)

After a second screening (and having learned about the making of this film), I'm pretty clear: the production values of Kormákur’s film are breathtaking. Whether it's the visuals, the actual locations where it was filmed, the plethora of great special effects that are naturally incorporated into the picture so that you don't even recognize them, and behind all of that there is a subtle tribute to the guys for whom mountains are everything. We can make a comparison here with, for example, the rather dumb Vertical Limit, where the mountains are just a vehicle for stupid stunts that are a laughing stock for real climbers. Everest, in contrast, has a real believable dimension and yet it is deep and human. The fact that you may think mountaineers are weirdos with obsessive compulsive behavior who gamble with their lives is actually pretty irrelevant, petty, and just your problem. Everest can proudly stand alongside some famous French mountaineering-themed films, which are pretty good on their own, and it’s certainly the best mountaineering film Hollywood has ever produced. (19/06/2016)

The journey to a place where the human body dies, in the story of people who knew very well how much they were risking, but still went for it. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less. And even though I don't understand the self-destructive behavior of the main heroes, thanks to the brilliant cast, I feel like I have at least glimpsed beyond the first summit. The intensity with which the highest mountain in the world siccs its pitfalls on climbers nails you to your seat, and the moment a storm appears, the cinema is already shaken to the core and the viewer knows they are in for a rough ride. And every gasp for breath almost hurts in your own lungs. (24/09/2015)