Everest – Blu-Ray Movie Review

On May 10, 1996, 34 climbers set out from Mt. Everest’s Camp IV for the summit. Through a series of mishaps, many of them don’t reach their goal until well after the 2pm safe turnaround time. As they make their way back to camp, a tremendous storm hits the mountain blinding them with snow and 70mph winds. What follows is an awe-inspiring tale of both suffering and heroism. When the storm is over, eight climbers have lost their lives and Rob Hall’s company, Adventure Consultants is left devastated by the loss of their leader.

The 1996 Everest disaster is well-documented from a variety of perspectives. Not only are there myriad books on the subject, several documentaries and a TV movie have covered the events of May 10-11. This however is the first feature film to profile the tragedy. Perhaps the creators are considering the upcoming twentieth anniversary of that fateful day.

Years ago I read Jamling Norgay’s book Touching My Father’s Soul. It devotes a single chapter to the 1996 climbing season and that account led me to Jon Kakauer’s book Into Thin Air. His portrayal of events has been debated and rebutted in other books. That aside, this film tells of the disaster from the viewpoint of Adventure Consultants and the support staff that attempted to rescue their guides and clients who were stranded on the mountain.

To say Everest is intense is to understate its impact. The subject matter is very dark and told with an extreme sense of realism. Every aspect of the presentation takes you onto the mountain and into the hearts and minds of the people who were there that year. I’m sure the portrayal of various characters will be the subject of debate but when comparing the film to my research, it seems pretty accurate though many details have been left out; no doubt to keep it from running too long.

If you know nothing about the disaster, some portions will be hard to follow. Once the characters don their full cold-weather gear and oxygen masks, it’s difficult to discern who’s who. My own recollection was a little rusty so I turned to a few online articles to fill in the gaps. As a whole the story is well-told and extremely well-acted. The cast is A-list all the way and they do a superb job. The impact is palpable and you can’t help but be touched emotionally. For fans of adventure films, this one is a must-see.

The image features extremely high contrast and lots of fine detail with naturally-saturated colors throughout. The presentation is fully-digital with a perfect blend of live and CGI elements. From the bright whites of snow and ice to the cold gray of rock, every shade is rendered with perfection.

The Dolby Atmos mix has a depth and size that is without peer. During the storm sequences the bass was so strong it created a breeze in my room (I’m not making that up, I felt my clothes move). The only flaw occurs during these same moments when dialog is almost impossible to understand over the roar of the wind. I know it’s more realistic to portray it that way but perhaps a slight tweak of the voice fader during the mixing process would have provided better balance.

Bonus features include a making-of documentary, a history of the actual 1996 events, a short about creating the Everest sets and environments, profiles of the actors’ training program and audio commentary by director Baltasar Kormákur.