Vertical Limit

 

Vertical Limit 2000

• Director: Martin Campbell
• Seen by this director: Casino Royale, Beyond Borders, Golden Eye
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Chris O’Donnell, Scott Glenn, Bill Paxton, Robin Tunney, Nicholas Lea, Steve Le Marquand, Ben Mendelsohn, Izabella Scorupco, Alexander Siddig
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Chris O’Donnell – Circle of Friends, The Scent of a Woman, Fried Green Tomatoes
• Scott Glenn – The Leftovers, Freedom Writers, The Shipping News, Carla’s Song, Edie & Pen, Silence of the Lambs, Silverado and others
• Bill Paxton – The Circle, Edge of Tomorrow, A Simple Plan, Titanic, Twister, Alien, Streets of Fire, Terminator
• Robin Tunney – The Darwin Awards
• Nicholas Lea –somewhere but I can’t find where
• Ben Mendelsohn – Ready Player One, Rogue One, The Dark Knight Rises, Australia, Black and White
• Izabella Scorupco – Golden Eye
• Alexander Siddig – Primeval, Doctor Who, Merlin, Kingdom of Heaven, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid
• Why? Mountain climbing.
• Seen: 6 January 2023      

       Why do I do this to myself? Because as terrified as I am of heights, I love mountains and I’m addicted to mountain-climbing films.

       In this one a brother Peter (O’Donnell) and a sister Annie (Tunney) lose their father in a climbing disaster. Peter stops climbing and becomes a photographer for National Geographic. Annie goes on to become a prominent mountaineer. Now she is leading an expedition sponsored by obnoxious billionaire Vaughn (Paxton) to climb K2. They get into trouble and Peter, coincidentally in the area, has to go rescue them.

       Some viewers who seem to understand mountain climbing think the film is rubbish. I must agree, with no actual knowledge on the subject, that it’s unlikely that these fifty-eleven disasters would all happen on one climb. Clichés abound. It really is quite bad but the exciting bits and the beautiful mountains save it from turkeydom. 

2* of 5