The Edge

Plot synopsis:
Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins), a billionaire, and two other men, Robert "Bob" Green (Alec Baldwin), a photographer, and Stephen (Harold Perrineau), his assistant, arrive in a remote North America locale via Charles's private jet, along with Charles's much-younger wife, Mickey (Elle MacPherson), a beautiful fashion model. The group is here for a photo shoot and are the only guests at a lodge. Styles (L.Q. Jones), the proprietor, warns everyone that the region is inhabited by bears and not to leave food uncovered. The party also celebrate Charles' birthday, and Mickey gives him an engraved pocket watch. Bob's present is an expensive hunting knife.When Bob's male model gets sick, he invites Charles to fly with him and Stephen to a different location where a characterized Indian is hunting. In mid-air, Charles, suspecting Bob and Mickey are having an affair after he sees Bob kiss Mickey on the cheek, cryptically asks how Bob is planning to kill him. Before the conversation goes any further, the plane suddenly hits a flock of birds and nose-dives into a lake, killing the pilot. Charles, Bob, and Stephen barely escape safely to shore.Lost, wet, and freezing, the men, knowing the plane was off course, attempt to hike to a more likely search area, only to find that a Kodiak Bear is stalking them. They elude it, but later that night, the Bear attacks their camp and kills Stephen.On the run from the Bear, Charles and Bob have little chance of rescue. Though not an outdoorsman, Charles draws upon his encyclopedic survival knowledge to guide them, and the men work together, bonding somewhat. The Bear finds them, and in a struggle on a river bed, Charles impales it with a hand-carved spear, saving Bob's life.The two find an empty hunters' cabin containing some supplies, a rifle, and a canoe. As Charles is about to use the paper receipt from Mickey's birthday gift as tinder to light the stove, he notices on it that she also bought Bob an expensive wristwatch engraved with an intimate inscription. Charles realizes that Bob and Mickey are indeed having an affair and that Bob is going to kill him to obtain his wealth and wife. Bob drinks to prepare himself, causing Charles to lament that Bob is unable to kill him sober.As Bob is about to shoot him, Charles lures Bob into a "deadfall" pit left by hunters. Bob suffers a mortal wound, but rather than leaving him to die, Charles transports him downriver by canoe. They make camp, hoping a search party finds them there. Bob apologizes for betraying Charles and says Mickey was never involved in the murder plot. A rescue helicopter appears and spots them, but Bob dies before it lands.Back at the lodge, Charles hands Bob's watch to Mickey, his expression implying that he knows about her adultery. He then declares to the gathered press that his friends died, "saving my life."

Tags: suspenseful, prank, violence, romantic

Review:
Boy, here's an intense film, a survival-in-the-wilderness adventure/thriller starring the unlikely duo of Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.
It's not hard to guess who's the villain, in addition to a man-eating bear who stalks the two of them after their plane crashes in the woods of Alaska.The sophistication of Hopkins, playing an extremely smart man, battling the crude Baldwin, who is insanely jealous of Hopkins' possessions, including his gorgeous wife (Elle McPherson), is intriguing to watch.
So is the great scenery and best-of-all, a great action story that has you focused intently for the full two hours.A human characteristic so often ignored in films the past half century is put on display here: compassionate forgiveness.
I first saw this movie in 97 when it first came out.I had barely heard of Baldwin,Hopkins or Perrineau.It turned out to be one of those movies I sat on the "edge" of my seat and was stunned by the ending.I sat there,mouth agape.I found I had a deep respect for all three actors.This movie,in every discernible way,is a masterpiece.The cinematography is breathtaking.The musical score is one of the most beautiful themes I have ever heard.The plot is smooth and the acting superb.I had heard of Baldwin but had not thought he was a great actor until seeing The Edge.Hopkins has made some great movies but this one..well it my personal favorite.The subtleties are numerous,the suspense captivating and the message is profound.The bear is without a doubt frightening and primal.This movie evoked emotions in me that were also primal.And the ending?
It is the best ending to any movie I have ever seen.Perhaps you might have to appreciate the complexities of human nature as well as the action sequences in The Edge to get the most out of the viewing experience.It truly is the best of both worlds..
Anthony Hopkins as always turns in a great performance but the big suprise is Alec Baldwin who did just as well.
This film has some of the best dialogue ever written for a movie of this type, and the action scenes are clever and blazingly paced.
The Edge reminded me of the old Kipling quote, that to be a superior man means to keep your head when everyone around you is loosing theirs!Its is my favorite survival film, & one of the best of Baldwin & Hopkin's careers.
This is one fine movie, and the performances by Hopkins (one of my favorite actors today) and Baldwin are superb.
A Morality Play in an Immoral Age. A very strong performance by Anthony Hopkins, Bart the Bear, and Alec  Baldwin, in that order, in a film that deals with the important  subjects of virtue, wisdom, and morality.
This has got to be one of the best films i have seen it defeantly rates in the top 20 on my list, beautiful scenes, very original idea, great acting, and edge of your seat excitement.
This is an action adventure movie and so Mamet is not trying to make any great philosophical point.
And, of course, a furry killing machine that can smell a man from 10 miles and run through the forest at 30 mph!Charles, (Anthony Hopkins' erudite billionaire character) starts out as the vulnerable, isolated character of the film.
In his self-effacing way, he confesses to knowing a lot "in theory" but not being great at "practical application".So when the plane crashes into an icy lake, Charles is the one for whom you most fear but that's when all the surprises start..........The biggest disappointment for me is that a fine actor such as Harold Perrineau finds himself playing a role that is a classical Hollywood cliché, the nice black guy who gets killed.
Well, it's actually very well shot and some very nice writing by Mamet.Many people probably haven't even heard of this picture, the title is uninspiring but the film isn't.The direction is superb, the widescreen frame is filled with details and characters use the 2.35:1 scope very well.
I don't think the actors had enough depth, but overall not bad.The picture is about survival and that's all I will say.The final frames are disappointing, should've been handled better.The director did a terrific job capturing the Alaska terrain.As usual, please view this picture in widescreen otherwise people you would have only seen 57% of the picture.
The Edge (1997)This is a fun wilderness adventure movie with some terrific acting by both Alec Baldwin (as a spoiled bad boy) and Anthony Hopkins (as a very smart millionaire).
Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin at their best, Hopkins is has this uncanny calmness about him throughout the movie, it spooks you and apparently spooks Alecs character in the film.
It is easily one of the best survival films that I have ever seen.The film is about billionaire Charles (Anthony Hopkins) who goes on trip to Alaska for a photo shoot with his wife (Elle Mcpherson).
After traveling with photographer Bob (Alec Baldwin) to a remote cabin 80 miles North of where they were staying they have their plane crash and are forced to find a way back to where they came from and forced to survive in the wild.The story is great and easy to follow.
Make-Up merits a special mention.Performance-Wise: Sir Anthony Hopkins & Alec Baldwin are in great from.
Anthony Hopkins plays billionaire Charles Morse, a bookish man who is married to a much younger woman(played by Elle McPherson) who is coveted by her photographer(Alec Baldwin) The two men, as well as an assistant(played by Harold Perrineau) are flown into a remote location in the Alaskan wilderness, when they are struck by a flock of birds, causing them to crash in the lake, killing the pilot, and placing the three survivors in a life and death struggle with not only the harsh elements, but a huge Kodiak bear that smells blood...Harrowing adventure drama from writer David Mamet is well directed by Lee Tamahori and acted by the leads, especially Anthony Hopkins, whose transformation from bookish introvert to determined survivalist is believable(they're not mutually exclusive anyway!) Relationship among the men is a bit muddled, especially after the climax, but solid thriller is also compelling and frightening.Not a film for people with a fear of bears....
Of course let us not forget the performance by the amazing Bart The Bear,recently after learning that he had passed away some years ago I watched a documentary about him and his owners/trainers said that when the camera's rolled it was almost as if Bart knew he was on camera and in The Edge you can certainly tell..he gives in my opinion some of the most god-damn scary looks given by a Kodiak Bear you'll ever see on the big screen..watching the final showdown between bear and man its enough to give you goose bumps..Bart is right there with the actors,swinging his oh so massive claws inches away from both Hopkins and Baldwin and giving the performance I think all who knew him and his work will remember him for..again its a shame there isn't an Oscar for best animal performer.
A good number of people criticize THE EDGE for its implausibility when set against actual wilderness survival, and I agree with them on that point.
Overall,I would say this film is a must see,especially with the great cast-Elle Macpherson,Antony Hopkins,Alec Baldwin....
I waited forever for it to come out on DVD, and when it finally did, I watched it twice.The acting is best in the word plays between Charles (Hopkins) and Robert (Baldwin).
The movie becomes less about the bear that is chasing them, and less about survival, and more about the dark side of human nature and the best side.
The Edge is filled with action and suspense with surprising turn after surprising turn as the characters played by Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin try to find their way out of the wilderness following a plane crash.Baldwin and Hopkins both give outstanding performances in this refreshing adventure movie.
including many on this site who use $100 words and spend too much time wishing they had a life.In my humble opinion, Baldwin and Hopkins provided some of the best acting moments I've seen in their careers.
He wonders if she's having an affair with her photographer Bob (Alec Baldwin).Charles gets stranded in the Northewest wilderness and is forced to confront three types of nature: First, he must contend with wilderness nature itself (the movie was filmed in breath-taking Alberta and British Columbia).
His colossal store of mostly worthless knowledge actually becomes useful.There are a couple "Yeah, right" Hollywood implausibilities -- for instance, the bear shaking the tree as the guys cross the river (an homage to King Kong) -- but, for the most part, the story plays out realistically."The Edge" addresses many powerful and worthy themes including Rebirth & renewal, confronting & overcoming incredible challenges, and, perhaps most potent of all, triumphing over evil through goodwill and forgiveness.*** SPOILER ALERT *** Don't read the next paragraph if you haven't seen the movie.Some may scoff at that last one but, after Charles gains the upperhand over Bob at the end, Bob sincerely repents of his wicked deeds before he ultimately dies (the 'wicked deeds' being his intention to kill Charles for his wife & wealth).
This is definitely a movie worthy of repeat viewings.BOTTOM LINE: If all you want out of "The Edge" is a great adventurous survival story with spectacular scenery, you'll definitely get it, yet it profoundly (and unexpectedly) offers so much more.
Even Anthony Hopkins is quoted after filming that Alec Baldwin was the only actor that ever surprised him.
I enjoyed every minute of this movie because it blends action, adventure in drama (and some comic relief) so nicely into one short film Add it to your collection!.
I like David Mamet's films, and so I was interested in checking out this movie, written by him.
And then there's another layer, that being of testing one's true character in challenging situations.Alec Baldwin does a good job as he can, but Anthony Hopkins is simply awesome here, and I'm not usually a fan of his.
A bookish billionaire (Oscar-Winner:Anthony Hopkins), a self-satisfied fashion photographer (Alec Baldwin) and his assistant (Harold Perrnieau) find themselves stranded in the freezing Alaskan Wilderness, after they survived the plane crash.
They will do anything to fight for survival and find themselves back to civilization.Directed by Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day, Once Were Warriors, xXx:State of the Nation) made an extremely entertaining action adventure with fine characterization by Hopkins and Baldwin.
OK..so I am not a big fan of survival in the wilderness movies but I watched this one because of Anthony Hopkins ( who just happens to be one of my favorites).I must say it was superb from start to finish!!I found myself very immersed in the entire film.Let me say a few words about the actors....Anthony did a great job in this film.
Our own Aussie girl Elle McPherson has a small role which she played well and portrayed her character very well.Gripping storyline, fantastic scenery and a real sense of drama made this one of the best movies I have seen in a long while.
I like the acting of Anthonie Hopkins.The pictures looks very realistic and the fight with the bear was for me very impressive.
"The Edge" boasts Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin at their best.
You would think that alone would be more than enough to carry a movie, but this film also has breathtaking Alaskan scenery, eye catching cinematography, a top notch score by Goldsmith, and a fantastic script by David Mamet.
I left that theatre in awe of one of the best action/adventure movies I've ever seen.Cinematography, dialogue, characterization, tension, a bear, Mamet, and setting all give this movie 5 stars.I've only clenched my seat for a few movies, seeing that bear made me hold on for dear life..
because he is smarter than the panther.How did his partners die, Morse was asked, and he answered (after the longest painful reflection) that "they died trying to save me." Perhaps he said "they died saving me," I don't remember exactly, but it is the pivotal intelligence, the moment upon which the whole story turns, for with the chillest irony, it is true: They "saved" him; through them he was saved-and so, we may speak praise for the writer, or the storyteller here, David Mamet.At the opening scene (or an early one, in act two we may call it), in their constellation as three men now explicitly confronting the larger (not particularly human) nature, Morse reflects of men lost in the wilderness, some lore that "they die of shame," not of some other, and more likely, extreme or duress.
. because he is smarter than the panther."We may speak praise for the writer, or the storyteller here, David Mamet.At the opening scene (or an early one, in act two we may call it), in their constellation as three men now explicitly confronting the larger (not human particularly) nature, Morse reflects of men lost in the wilderness, some lore that "they die of shame," not some other, and more likely, duress.We have the voracity of that actual creature of the wilderness (the brown bear, the Kodiak, not the savage unconscious's man-hunting bear, this time) on the scent of human blood to contend with, and this hunger decreases the number of our party of three.
This movie is great!I loved every second of it!This movie is chilling with the performances by Hopkins and Baldwin.The battle scene with the bear is awesome and the ending is good too.I recommend this to anyone who loves action films.(8 out of 10).
Sir Anthony Hopkins does an excellent job and Alec Baldwin is good as the young, jealous "know-it-all." Although there are some particularly disturbing scenes with a ton of blood and gore, this is still one of the best movies there is, so go and see The Edge!.
Anthony Hopkins is the bomb of all actors and no one exemplifies a charismatic, good-looking bad guy better than Alec Baldwin.
It's almost not that important to know much about the background about the characters, but Mamet even gives a little bit of edge, no pun intended, with the animosity of Baldwin at Hopkins.
Suspenseful throughout, this is a good character study in which Hopkins as usual is excellent, and Alec Baldwin is in the best rôle I have seen him in.
The second viewing of this film recently did not bore me one little bit, as the two main characters play their parts with great conviction, helped along by Mamet's dialogues which at times sounded more like a playwrite than a cinematographic script.
If this movie had been given a better title,  "Lost in the Woods" or "Survivors & Killers", it would have garnered the respect it deserves.Fine performances by the entire cast, an incredibly terrifying bear attack sequence and the complex interpersonal relationship between the billionaire (Hopkins) and the man (Baldwin)who covets his wife make this a memorable movie all around.
A generally bland wilderness survival movie, "The Edge" gets off to a slow start with a setup that's too long and characters that are not especially interesting, despite that they are conveniently photogenic.
The movie had a lot of action/adventure sequences, and the acting was great, including the brilliant Anthony Hopkins.
From this pedestrian-sounding premise comes a movie that is really about the relationship that develops between two very different men: a brilliant, intellectual billionaire, played with characteristic genius by Anthony Hopkins, and a fashion photographer, played by Alec Baldwin.
And you can't ask for more from a movie than that.Anthony Hopkins is the paranoid rich guy with the beautiful young model wife (Elle MacPherson).
Hopkins in particular turns in one of his great under-stated performances, and the film as a whole is as good a character study as you will find in modern Hollywood.But as I say above, its best recommendation is that it is just a damn good story.
The Edge is an engrossing motion picture starring the master himself,Sir Anthony Hopkins and co-starring Alec Baldwin, who does some nice work here.
Hopkins and Baldwin go out and crash a plane in the wilderness that starts a long adventurous trek back to the cabin complete with a mankiller bear tracking them to their death.
I thought David Mamet was washed up as a screenwriter and Alec Baldwin as an actor but this film put those fears to rest.
In a scene between Charles (Anthony Hopkins) and Bob (Alec Baldwin), they are discussing how to 'lure' or bait the bear so that they have the possibility of killing it.
In The Edge he plays a rich man stranded in the Alaskian wilderness with two lesser smart men (played by Alec Baldwin and Harold Perrineau) and they all try to survive while they search to be rescued.
Anthony Hopkins, a man with Bloomberg like wealth and without a Trump like personality his wife supermodel Elle MacPherson, her photographer Alec Baldwin and Baldwin's assistant Harold Perrineau are off on a rugged wilderness vacation in Alaska where they will stay at L.Q. Jones's hunting lodge.
Billionaire Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) joins his model wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) on a photo shoot with brash photographer Bob Green (Alec Baldwin) and his assistant Stephen (Harold Perrineau).
Hopkins alone is reason enough to watch this film, then add the intensity of Alec Baldwin, and you have yourself a winner..
Typically this is "Call of the Wild" with a Saturday Morning Adventure setting (hidden secrets, betrayals, etc.) But Hopkin's profound performance (and character) makes the movie worthy of a single good watch..
But the film is rubbish.Idiotic modelling theme put in with Alec Baldwin (who is usually an excellent actor, like in Nuremberg, etc.) playing a photographer.
Hopkins plays billionaire Charles Morse flying into Alaska with his model trophy wife, Mickey, for a fashion shoot with Alec Baldwin playing the photographer, Bob Green.
Two very good performances - Anthony Hopkins and the Kodiak Bear.