The Climax is Not the Summit

Rating: 9/10 (9 October 2015)

I recently watched this film to witness the tallest summit in the world. Everest stands 29,029 feet above sea level. This film is based on true events that took place on the May 1996 expedition. This has been a well know story that was depicted in the best- selling account of the expedition by Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air.
As the movie begins we see a few men traveling to Nepal that we learn to know as Beck, Doug, and Jon Krakauer. Soon after we are introduced to Rob Hall the guide for the team.
I enjoy watching a movie that is based on true events first before reading about the films fact base. The reason being it adds to the natural emotions intended by the director. Since this story was not only published, but had taken place over 19years ago, it would be unwise to assume this story was already known. In my anticipation to watch this movie I read a review that explains the story line. Moreover, I came to find out this review had spoilers of the true events and read of 8 people dying on this mountain.
Although, I had known 8 people died this day I was unaware of the popularity surrounding this day. May 10th has been the day Rob Hall had summited 4 years before. The film focuses on the clients of Rob Hall and their personal stories leading up the reason why they are all here to climb Everest. Rob was a well-known and respected guide to the summit due to his fame of summiting the most number of times. Others provided the nickname "Mountain Goat" or "Show" for Rob Hall. His date of climbing had also been known amongst the other guides as the day to summit. This is depicted in the movie and in each of the climbing books as one of the busiest days in each of the preceding years.
This amount of traffic is one concern that is consistently discussed and highlighted on. There is a one-lane path to the summit known as the Hillary Step. This has been another bottleneck for climbers trying to summit since only a fixed number of climbers can be on the narrow pathway.
Within the movie Rob Hall calls a meeting for the guides to discuss summiting on alternative days. These other guides were insulted to be told what day they can climb with their clients and the meeting was thereby ended.
The film highlighted many facts about the mountain and the sickness that can come with the accent. Hall lays out the dangers of summiting Everest in his briefing to his team before they even set foot on the mountain. He explains, "Human beings are not designed to function at the cruising altitude of a 747. Your bodies will be literally dying." It is later found out that they individually paid a lot of money ($65,000 each) to get them to the top of Everest. Rob further discusses that the point is not to get to the top, but safely back down. The experience in my opinion made Everest seem as if you were told to wear a lead- suit and climb 200 steps in freezing temperatures. This is an annoyed, but understanding point of the events that took place. The movie focuses on the preparation of acclimatizing for a majority of the movie. Then some of the various teams are seen summiting after the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th camps cites. Unfortunately, this made the movie seem anticlimactic while at the summit. I was hopeful for more of an awe-inspiring scene or two leading up to the team's summit.
Although, I felt that we were suddenly at the top of Everest there was more to this film. And if you knew the turn of events, you knew that the climax had only just begun. This film still managed to inspire me and teach a few ethical dilemmas we may face at some point in our lives.
Works Cited:
Everest. Dir. Baltasar Kormákur. Perf. Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Sam Worthington, Michael Kelly, John Hawkes and Emily Watson. 2015. Film.