Everest

In a whirlwind of tension and heartbreak, Everest takes audiences headfirst along the treacherous path to reach the Mt Everest summit.

From Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur, the film is based on the true story of the 1996 expedition that saw eight people lose their lives. Two teams of mountaineers face grueling conditions in a battle for survival on the world’s highest mountain.

The film gets off to a slow start with the perils that those attempting this momentous feat might face being explained in great detail. However, as the minutes tick by, the tension creeps higher and higher, aided by Dario Marianelli’s chilling score that peaks with the weather conditions.

It is an incredibly visually breathtaking film with enthralling sweeping landscape shots filmed between Italy and Nepal. However, the aerial views may turn even a slight fear of heights into a fully fledged phobia.

Despite a fantastic cast, including Keira Knightley, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Worthington and Josh Brolin, at times the performers don’t feel genuinely engaged with the characters and the story they are telling.

That being said, during the climactic scenes, all actors perform the fear, distress and heartache of the scenario well. Audiences will be blown away by the harsh nature of the mountain and just how well Baltasar Kormákur managed to capture it.

Becky Henrys

Everest is released nationwide on 18^th September 2015.

Watch the trailer for Everest here: