[ Kenny’s Review ] [ Jim’s Review ]

Genre: Adventure| Drama | Thriller
Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Starring: Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley
Written by: William Nicholson (screenplay), Simon Beaufoy (screenplay)

Synopsis: Two expedition groups take on the challenge of getting to the top of Mount Everest.

Everest arrives in theaters just in time for thrill seeking audiences to scale the multiplex again after a fantastic action packed summer of Mad Max: Fury Road and Mission Impossible Rogue Nation. Though September begins the soft launch into awards seasons, Everest aims to be at that level of pedigree filmmaking with its high quality technical aspects and star studded cast. After all, The Towering Inferno received a Best Picture nomination. Everest isn’t on par with classic disaster movies nor worthy to be remembered beyond the escape viewers take. This over-promises and under delivers.
A major fault with Everest is it doesn’t accomplish a lot with its two hour running time. The first half is slow and didn’t really hold my attention. We meet the characters, but this is just going through the motions of setting up the scenario of the climbers. Bob Dole t-shirts and Sheryl Crow songs try to set the 1990’s mood! For all the time spent with the characters and plot progression (I dare not call it development), we don’t really understand what is happening nor really care who survives and who doesn’t. Like those glorious 1970’s disaster movies, the peril outshine the acting, characters, and pretty much everything else. The mountainous terrain is the main focal point. That’s why we came to the theater after all.

The cast was adequate but nothing to get really excited about. The performances are fine, but not extraordinary or awards buzz worthy. Kiera Knightley has some moments at home crying over the phone eager for her husband to make it out alive. Josh Brolin was decent in his role and Jake Gyllenhaal was barely in the movie. The scenes with Emily Watson at base camp were rather flat and tried to foreshadow intensity. Sometimes this succeeded in doing so but other times do not. The adrenaline kicks in during the third act when you are on the edge of your seat.

If you must, watch it on a very large and legitimate IMAX screen. The visuals and sound grabs you during key moments. Universal was smart to open this exclusively on IMAX for the opening week to offer audiences the way it should be seen.