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Modern disaster movies tend to fall into two distinct categories. There’s the full-blown, big-budget spectacle that incorporates as many city-crumbling, building-demolishing special effects as possible, and then there’s the human-centred, emotionally-charged survival stories.
Everest deftly manages to straddle the two, featuring large-scale catastrophe atop the world’s tallest mountain, but at its heart it’s a simple tale of human bravery, endurance and bitter tragedy. The film is based on a true story, namely the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster. Expeditions up the famous slope have recently become commercialised, leaving it open to both climbing professionals and non-professionals alike as long as they have the money to pay for it.
Two expedition groups, Adventure Consultants, led by Rob Hall (Clarke), and Mountain Madness, commanded by Scott Fischer (Gyllenhaal), meet at the mountain’s base camp and prepare for their journey.
The early part of the movie chronicles the two groups’ ascent to the summit via the various camps, and eventually after numerous delays, the moment of glory is achieved. However, things quickly turn sour, and for the vast majority of the movie’s chunky run time, we see the fateful results of an unexpected blizzard, a limited supply of supplementary oxygen, and an overcrowded bunch of climbers who have no experience when the going gets tough.
It’s a harrowing tale, particularly if you’re familiar with the actual event, and one that is augmented by some of the most beautiful cinematography you’re ever likely to see.
Director Baltasar Kormákur has shot proceedings in spectacular style, with grand views of the world’s most famous peak beamed in eye-popping whites and blues, and angles do a very good job of inducing vertigo to the audience.
If possible, try and view the movie in 3D IMAX for the truly best experience as the mountaineers appear as tiny specks you can seemingly pick up and drop off in front of your eyes. Coupled with the intense sound design, Everest can really give you the sensation of being there.
In essence, though, the film wants to be a character-driven epic rather than sell itself on visuals and inevitable deaths alone. Here, the film is a mixed bag.
Sadly, Hall is the only truly three-dimensional member of the expedition, being responsible and conscientious, yet an uptight control freak. He’s just the kind of guy you’d put your trust into when undertaking the world’s most dangerous climb, but the latter trait drives him into conflict with Fischer.
The two are already competing for the same dollars, but Fischer’s relaxed, laid-back nature rankles with Hall, who has blatant disregard for Mountain Madness’ shepherding of tourists with little respect for Everest or the environment.
Disappointingly, this conflict is only touched upon and never fully explored as it is ditched in favour of moving the story along into the disaster phase.
Similarly, the rest of the cast are rather short-changed. The list of names on the poster looks impressive, but this isn’t really an ensemble. Some big names seem to be there just to sell the film, while the Sherpa guides (who are played by locals and are some of the most important characters in terms of the expedition) are sadly, but entirely predictably, neglected.
The film ricochets from the climbers on the mountain, to those at base camp trying to rescue them, to their families at home desperate for news, whether it’s good or bad. This leads to some thankless roles for the WAGs who have to justify their part on the end of a walkie-talkie or phone.
A major problem that logistically seems impossible to avoid in this sort of setting is that the swirling snow and howling gales, combined with a cast who appear fresh out of auditioning for roles in a ZZ Top tribute band and are wearing thick goggles and hoods, makes it very difficult to tell them apart or understand the dialogue.
And, though the geography of the mountain is relayed many times, everything is just white, so it makes it very tough to figure out who is meant to be where and how it relates to others in the group.
If, like me, you’re a curious soul and susceptible to spending many a night getting lost in Wikipedia articles about this sort of thing, particularly about the failed expeditions and the peak’s ‘permanent ornaments’, then this is a perfect film to visualise events in a dramatic manner.
Ultimately, Everest looks beautiful and has some fantastic set-pieces and moments of true human drama, but contains too many character missteps to be a true classic.
