REVIEW : Everest (2015)

There are many ways to die, and climbing up the highest mountain on earth is one way of upping those odds. You can't help but wonder: why would anyone want to resort themselves to those odds, why would anyone want to place themselves in a position where they'll be risking an awful death? As our main character says early in the film, "Human beings simply aren't built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747. Our bodies will be literally dying."

Well if you're going into Everest hoping to get an answer to the "why do people do it" question, you're not going to get it. If anything, Everest is just going to solidify that thought of never wanting to go near that mountain ever in your lifetime.

At one point though, journalist Jon Krakauer does ask that question. After the joking reply of the age-old answer of "because it's there", a few others do try and answer that question. And try is the word here. None of the replies feel satisfactory. And that's kindda what Everest is in a nutshell. The film doesn't quite hit the spot, it doesn't feel satisfying.

Everest recounts the tragedy that struck the mountain back in May 1996, a blizzard that eventually lead to the demise of eight lives, both guides and clients alike. Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) runs New Zealand-based Adventure Consultants that provides his clients with guided expeditions up Mt. Everest. On his team are Beck Weathers (Josh Brolin), a cocky Texan; Yasuko Namba (Naoko Mori), a tiny little Japanese woman who's on her way to conquer the last of the Seven Summits; Doug Hansen (John Hawkes), a quiet postman who has you constantly worried if he's ever going to make it; and of course, as mentioned before, John Krakauer (Michael Kelly) who was poached from Hall's business rival, Mountain Madness, that's lead by the laid-back, hippie-looking Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal).

The first half of the movie goes by fairly quickly, establishing relationships and rushing through acclimitisation and the climb up the mountain. But getting up is only half the story, getting down is the other much more deadly and challenging half. That's where all the stakes are tension are.

Meet Josh Brolin. He was a jackass in Sicario, he's a bit of a jackass here too.

If you're wondering where do Keira Knightley and Robin Wright fit into the picture, they play the wives of Rob Hall and Beck Weathers respectively. It's basically big names wasted on very little screen-time. And that's my biggest gripe with Everest, it's just a struggle to juggle all these big names and characters in two hours. It felt to me like even Jake Gyllenhaal was sidelined with a rather insignificant role. Don't even get me started on the wives Ultimately, this leads to the audience not being able to connect with any of the characters on an emotional level. At some point, you just left sitting there watching characters move on screen without having much of a movie experience where you feel for the characters, Which is sad because Everest was based on real events with actual people. When you take the emotional factor out of it, it's not that great.

Would have worked perfectly fine if anyone else was cast for this role.

Everest is based on a true story, and in real life, happy endings aren't always possible. People die, and people did die in the actual event in 1996, and people do die in this film. What I do think is beautiful in this film, in a rather morbid sort of way, is how they don't really dwell on any character's death. There isn't a grandiose, cheesy farewell scene at a character's death. Death just happens. And unless you've already read up on the incident, it's really unexpected on who dies. People you expect to survive, don't; people you expect to die, don't either. Kindda like what happens in Game of Thrones, but more muted, less drama.

The film feels very much like any other disaster/survival films out there in the market. It has the same build up, it has it's fair share of inspirational motivation speeches, and there are scenes that are absolutely nail-biting to sit through. Story-wise, Everest doesn't really feel like it's bringing anything new to the table. Most of the time you're left thinking, been there, done that. But it is beautiful, with it's shots of Nepal the Italian Alps that doubles as the actual mountain. Many times I found myself wondering if they actually did go to the top of Mt. Everest to film this movie. So while Everest lacks in its story-line, it makes up with its scenes of the mountain. So they've got that going for them at the very least.

Other trivial musings : I do wonder how they avoided reflections of the crew and cameras whenever I see a pair of reflective goggles on screen.

I don't know about you, but I do think that going up a mountain that greatly increases your chances of dying is a very questionable decision. Even more so when your wife is pregnant.

TL;DR : Your average disaster film that makes you go 'been there, done that', but with an overly large cast. Not bad, but not mind-blowing either. At least it's cinematography is stunning.


I rate it : 6.5/10 stars

Should you watch it? If you're ever thinking of going up Mt. Everest, watch this for a cautionary tale on why you should reconsider your decisions. Don't watch it if you're going in just for Jake Gyllenhaal or Keira Knightley, you'll be sorely disappointed

EVEREST (2015)

Genre : Adventure Disaster Drama

Runtime : 121 minutes

Director : Baltasar Kormakur

Cast : Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Kelly, Keira Knightley

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