Vertical Limit (2000)

Finally, a movie for the REI set! For all those mountain-climbing aficionados who devoured Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air and similar books (as well as the IMAX film Everest), Vertical Limit attempts to translate man-against-the-mountain adventure into compelling, albeit fictional, drama. And while the climbing action is pretty darn breathtaking, somebody forgot to put the brakes on the cliché machine while penning the screenplay. Two siblings (Chris O'Donnell and Robin Tunney) are mentally scarred by a climbing accident in which their father died to save them. She becomes a famous mountain climber (catch that Sports Illustrated cover?); he never climbs again, and becomes a National Geographic photographer. She agrees to accompany a shady billionaire (Bill Paxton) up the icy carapace of K2, the world's second highest mountain; he just happens to be "in the neighborhood" when she starts. After the requisite argument, she sets out, but an avalanche strands her and the billionaire in some kind of underground cavern, and bad weather forbids a daring rescue. It's up to her determined brother to bring her back, along with a ragtag team of rescuers that includes a French-Canadian babe, two wisecracking Aussies, and a crusty old sage (Scott Glenn) who has a few scores to settle.

It's easy to pick out the rest of the story from here (though you probably didn't count on that faulty nitroglycerine, now did you?), but Vertical Limit is less about the hackneyed plot than it is about putting its characters into increasingly dangerous situations and hanging them precariously over various mountainsides. It's a credit to director Martin Campbell (GoldenEye) that the impressive action keeps the film moving along past the bordering-on-absurd plot twists. O'Donnell tosses his mane of fluffy hair admirably, but it's still disheartening to see this once-promising actor turning into a pretty-boy stand-in; only Glenn manages to overcome his character's predictability. Mountaineering enthusiasts will recognize a cameo by world-renowned climber Ed Viesturs, who as an actor proves that he's... a very good mountain climber. --Mark Englehart Amazon.com

Worst Movie Involving Mt Climbing ever.. Into Thin Air a distant second

The only interesting moment in this movie is the rock climbing scene in the begining where Dad insists that the Son cut him lose to save his kids.

I am stunned Ed Viesters allowed himself to be part of this project. I mean, common, you copter up to 22k feet to start a climb? You would be unconcious in 10 mins. Trapped in a cravase? Well, bring up some nitroglycerin to get me out buddy... explode things above my head.

OK.. one great line.... when the supplier mentions his girlfriend is "French-Canadian. When she is Canadian, she can be quite nice. Today she is obviously French."

A complete waste of film and time...

September 11, 2008

pretty man!

I'm not sure they got this film right. The heart throb guy is very pretty. The wealthy guy is evil. The sister is stupid and should have been left to die anyway. The scary man would like to find his wifey-popsicle. The Mountain was big but the air was a bit blowey, the snow was warm and inside the mountain it was very very cosy (they even had drugs 'n all!) The one thing I am sure that they got right was the American psyche that the way forward in saving stupid people's lives is to go in with high explosives and blow everything up. Who said life doesn't imitate art.
I have got to say though that I really enjoyed this film. I watched it for free on tv but to make sure as little revenue gets back to the producers etc, I am going to boycot all the products that were advertised during its screening. BTW. The two stars are for the pretty guy playing being pretty very well. August 27, 2008

Super SOUND - Super Action

That movie REALLY boosts sound into another dimention......HD sound is over the edge......It is considered to be one of my BEST movies of ALL time!!!! August 24, 2008

Lose yourself in this movie!

What a great escape while watching true suspense. The beautiful mountains they have in this movie are amazing. In addition, learning another whole world of mountain climbing and the crazy lengths they go to - all to climb to the top.

A movie to own and watch over and over!

Merna Throne
Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you! June 11, 2008

Pretty good action

Mountain climbing is pretty much a rich man's sport like expensive sailing boat races. Going to 26000 feet without oxygen isn't an old man's sport,
so the gray haired climber in this movie is really the old man on the mountain. "Cutting the rope" is a metaphor that is given new meaning by this movie.
The son "murders" the father in a climbing accident in order to keep himself and his sister alive.
The movie is mostly about a rescue attempt in which 6 people try to save 3 trapped in a crevice on K2: 9 people total: 3 return alive.
Low pressure anoxia and exposure is not a pleasant way to die.
April 15, 2008

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