This is essentially the stuff you see done to promote a film's theatrical release, so don't expect any revelations. I enjoyed this film and felt it had a lot to say about people, how they relate to one another and the craft of writing. Paramount has put together another fine presentation that serves the film well. Wonder Boys is a film that deserves to be seen, so if it's not the type of film you're likely to want to own, at least give it a rent. You would think that dangling by your fingertips from a sheer cliff several thousand feet in the air would be enough to generate suspense in a film.
Filmmakers always insist on adding in explosives.
Vertical Limit also makes this blunder by resting at least half of the suspense of the film on the fact that everyone climbing the mountain has nitroglycerin strapped onto their backs. Furthermore, this is the special blend of nitro that tends to explode only when directed by the screenwriter. Specifically, we're made to believe that when this stuff heats up, it blows up. This would be an acceptable conceit, but only if the film is willing to stick by it. Once the danger is presented to the cast, they scramble to get into the shade and cover the nitro with snow.