Movie Review: Everest

 

Adventure/Drama

Rated – M
 
Duration –121mins
 
Release – September 2015

Director – Baltasar Kormakur
 
Cast – Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright

Mr Knight
 
The year is 1996. The location, Mount Everest, the largest peak on Earth. Everest draws adventure seekers from all around the world and for the right price and with the right guide, can get you to the top of the world. At 29,029 feet, approximately the height a 747 flies at cruising speed, getting to Everest's peak demands great respect from those who take it on.
 
The first thing to say after I saw this movie. It is visually epic. The second thing. The cast is enormous. It isn't necessarily filled with A listers, but most movie fans should recognize at least ten different characters in this one including a handful of Australians, which with all that talent results in an all around top quality movie with top quality acting. The third. It's a true story and that always sucks me in.

Australia's very own Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty, Terminator Genisys, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) plays New Zealand's mountaineer expert, Rob Hall who prior to 96' had reached Everest's peak five times, the most any person other than a Sherpa has reached its peak. Hall runs a successful business taking climbing enthusiast's up the mountain.
Hall takes a handful of customers to the mountain including Texan Beck Weathers (Josh Brolin), Teacher Doug Hansen (John Hawkes), journalist John Krakauer (Michael Kelly) amongst others to an extremely busy climbing season as the popularity of the climb grows and grows each year.

Hall finds pressure building as the climb begins to bottle neck as other teams including Jake Gyllenhaal's American pro-climber Scott Fischer's team, slow the ascent and Hall has to battle with time and treacherous weather.

Some challenges present itself on the climb, but in this monster sized flick, it's the descent where the dramas start and life and death becomes separated by one wrong step and one gust of 150km/h wind.

I was blown away at one scene when a huge lightning cloud comes racing up from below to engulf Hall as he clings to the ice near the mountains peak. I also got a touch emotional when Hall is contacted by his pregnant wife back in New Zealand, Jan (Keira Knightley) on the two way radio when hope seems lost. A side note; Knightley actually does a reasonable Aussie/New Zealand accent as well which I found surprising.

Sam Worthington plays Guy Cotter, one of Hall's support team and in my opinion plays his best role in some time as he has a history of weak roles in prior films. Worthington is just one of many to mention. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Elizabeth Debicki also sneaks in this one as the teams doctor Caroline Mackenzie.

My recommendation is this. Wear a jacket in the cinema because the immense crazy weather combined with the always freezing cold cinema air conditioning makes for an icy two hours. The second is don't see it in 3D. I did. For some reason it seems dull with a soft white effect on the screen. Go see it regular so the picture is more crisp. I also say this. Go see it on the big screen. This is a big screen epic, full of emotion, tense climbing over vast crevices, popcorn flick. The lesson to be learnt.. don't mess with Mother Nature. She'll kick your ass!

Mrs Knight
 
There is no denying how epic this movie looks from the trailer alone. Especially given the well known (and heavy Australian) cast including Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Emily Watson and Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Everest is inspired by true events following one of many tour groups of mountaineers attempting to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain, Everest. Set in 1996, we see them facing some of the most harsh and difficult weather conditions. As they climb higher and higher some of the characters health decline. There is also incredible acts of selflessness and heroism. It was refreshing to see a film where there was no 'villain' or a person being a dick and letting the team down. I was rooting for all the characters, especially the main guy Rob Hall (Jason Clarke). What a legend. In saying that, there were so many characters and we only saw small gimpses into who they are. I found it hard to keep track and relate to them all.
 
As the movie introduces the mixed bag of climbing lovers, one question remains unanswered... Why?! Is the glory of reaching the top really worth all the pain and struggle on the journey? I may be cynical as I'm not a climber... but I couldn't realate to any 'joy' from their experience. I found all the characters likeable and all of the actors delivered. Well done to Keira Knightley for pulling off a New Zealand accent and Sam Worthington held a stronger performance than we have seen from him lately. However, I didn't find the storyline especially gripping. Besides the spectaular view of the mountains! 

The scenery was beyond amazing, Nepal and the mountains looked absolutely beautiful. I wouldn't recommend 3D as it didnt have as much sharp contrast in the imagery as it would if it were 2D. However, I would definitely recommend the cinema for this one, so you can experience its full potential. The incredible cinematography left me feeling cold and I literally felt the wind in my hair at one point. It was embarrasing actually, I stroked my hair 'back into place'....

To quote Mr Knight "Nothing will get you like seeing photographs of real people the characters are based on". The ending should definitely make you stop and think about these incredible (and crazy) people who climbed to the summit of Everest.