Splendid mountaineering thriller is the best of its type

Rating: 8/10 (25 February 2017)

Having just watched the mountaineering thriller EVEREST, I can report that it's the best-ever film I've seen detailing the subject matter, a mini classic of a movie that blows away memories of the similarly-themed WHITE TOWER (the old '50s effort with Glenn Ford that now seems woefully dated) and the slightly cheesy VERTICAL LIMIT. In addition, EVEREST has the hook of being based on a true story that took place in the 1990s, adding to the realism which is top notch throughout.
The plot ingredients of this film are familiar yet it all works and that's because they gel together very nicely. A huge bunch of characters decide to ascend Mount Everest just when a massive storm is due to hit. There's the usual gamut of back stories, rescue attempts, and back-home characterisation, and it's all thoroughly involving. The characters work well because of the ensemble cast; these are real people with no clear-cut heroes and villains, just people driven for whatever reasons.
The likes of Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin give performances among the best of their careers when they play down-to-earth guys like these. The sentimentalism is kept at bay which I appreciated. The CGI effects are splendid because you don't notice them - the whole thing is authentic from the outset. Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur uses his old directorial tricks from THE DEEP in really putting you outside in the elements, making you shiver and shake as if you're there in person. It's quite splendid.