An amazing and gripping edge of your seat real Life Drama

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2015)

Like everyone else, I had waited many months for this film to come out and I was not disappointed when I got my chance to watch it this afternoon with my wife and four year old Son. Yes, I took him along too and he loved the helicopter scene towards the end but the sound effects were a little bit too loud and overpowering at times (for him at least).
I am hugely interested in the story of Everest ascent from an educational and scientific standpoint. I am no mountaineer or climber and I am in total awe of anyone who attempts such a challenge.
The film successfully tells the story of what happened to the eight people who died on the mountain in this 1996 tragedy. I agree with many of the other posters about the negatives. Sherpas are very much a part of the Everest story and they are hardly featured. Also the heights relative to getting to Everest did not seem relative to the 'Mother of the Sky' but maybe that was impossible to achieve.
Criticism has been directed at one or two of the actresses, notably Keira Knightley. She had very much a supporting role and overall she acted well. It seems unjust to criticise for the role she played.
I also got confused with many of the characters as the guys all had bushy beards, were of course heavily clothed and it was not easy to know who was who.
They tried to address in group discussion as to why people like these mountaineers are motivated to climb Everest and I think this was very relevant indeed.
No doubt all the filming was done prior to the Nepal earthquake in April 2015. Do we know if the original Everest Base Camp site was used for the movie? Not sure it is relevant yes or no.
The first half an hour was an excellent starter for the main story to come on the mountain itself.
Two hours of afternoon entertainment, though of course, it is a story of heroes and villains in a sense because I have to wonder whether an actual weather forecast was communicated to the climbers at any appropriate time which might have changed some of the decisions made and averted many if not all of the dangers, given the severity of the blizzard which, according to the story in the film, struck at least twice.
Tremendously well directed, the cinema effects of the films were simply stunning and the actors clearly put great endeavour into their character portrayal.