I've only met one person to have scaled one of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each of the seven continents. His name is Ed Marx and the mountain was Kilimanjaro. He spoke at a work conference I attended a few years ago. Ed is a soft spoken healthcare IT executive. His words inspired me. Not only was he brave enough to scale a nineteen thousand plus foot mountain, he and his companions launched a *humanitarian mission while they were there. The advice that I remember most from his speech was to "pee in public, puke in private." I know there was a reasonable explanation for that wisdom when it comes to mountaineering, but if I had my druthers, I'd probably reverse the two.
I'm a sucker for books and movies that dramatize things I'd never in a million years consider doing. Among the things on that list: space travel ("Apollo 13," "Gravity"), great white shark hunting ("Jaws"), deep sea exploration ("Titanic," "The Abyss"), and mountain climbing ("The Eiger Sanction," "Into Thin Air"). "Into Thin Air" is a book, not a movie. In fact, it chronicles the same events that inspired the recently (3D IMAX) and soon to be (2D) released "Everest." Why did I list the book rather than the movie? Because the book is significantly better.
Jon Krakauer's 1997 first person account of the May 1996 disaster that claimed the lives of nine came under intense scrutiny. Krakauer questioned the judgment of those leading the commercial expeditions that year. The author's harshest critics point out that the one individual that he directed an accusatory finger at most, risked his life to save others while Krakauer slept safely in his tent. That said, I don't think you can find a more gripping and detailed account of the incident.
The book's length allows the reader to develop a connection with the people that decided to attempt the summit almost two decades ago. Then, when things go horribly wrong, you are much more invested in the safety of those individuals.
Therein lies the film's weakness. Clocking in at just two hours, it introduces over twenty main and peripheral characters. Other than Rob Hall (played by "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' Jason Clarke), the owner and lead guide for Adventure Consultants, most of the characters seem two dimensional, if mentioned other than in passing. The book's flexibility provides much better exposition and explanation of the perfect storm of events (including a storm) that lead to the disaster. There are some amazing tales of bravery and the will to survive depicted in "Everest." However, due to time constraints, one act of heroism is greatly abridged, much to the film's detriment. That is not to say that the movie version lacks emotional punch. But, it focuses very briefly on many of the personal accounts that took place.
The movie's strength is that through footage shot on location and expertly re-created on a computer, one is able to get a glimpse into what it might be like to attempt to summit the world's highest peak. At almost 30,000 feet, it is the same height that commercial aircraft fly at and is rarely attempted without the aid of supplemental oxygen. That, in and of itself, explains why Everest wasn't conquered until 1953.
The filmmakers do an amazing job of virtually taking the viewer on an incredible journey. IMAX and 3D are expertly used in "Everest." Other than "Gravity," I don't think I've seen the technology used to greater effect than it is here. If you plan on seeing it and it's an option, I highly recommend the IMAX 3D version.
You won't find any spoilers here. But be warned. This is a true story that has been highly publicized over the past nineteen years. Any internet search will easily reveal details. If going in with a blank slate is important to you as a moviegoer, stay away from any web searches. Also, avoid "Everest" on Netflix. The small screen version of the film shot for IMAX and released in that format in 1998, was actually filmed during this disaster. The IMAX crew played a pivotal role in the rescue of one of the climbers and these events are the heart of that documentary. Once you've seen this movie, however, I highly recommend it.
"Everest" is a really good movie. It just isn't a great one. For something as magnificent as Everest itself, I expected more. If you haven't read "Into Thin Air," I suggest you read it soon after.
3 out of 4 stars.
Recommended viewing on the Everest disaster (both contain spoilers):
"Storm Over Everest:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ5olbdXd10
"Mountain Without Mercy: The Everest Story:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWxQuN7Xxl8
*To learn more about Ed Marx's humanitarian mission in Tanzania, follow this link: http://www.argylejournal.com/chief-information-officer/leadership-lessons-kilimanjaro-edward-marx-chief-information-officer-and-senior-vice-president-texas-health-resources-inc-and-elizabeth-ransom-chief-clinical-leader-texas-health-resources-inc/
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