Everest [Includes Digital Copy] [3D] [Blu-ray/DVD] [Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/DVD] [2015]

"The last word always belongs to the mountain". It's interesting that Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormakur has taken the helm for the 3D mountain-climbing spectacle, Everest. Just a few years ago he tackled another man vs. Mother Nature survival tale, The Deep, depicting a true triumph of the human spirit over the elements. Things aren't quite so rosy in Everest, though; a film of literally high adventure, superhuman exploits, and devastating loss. In depicting the sheer danger of the moment, the awe-inspiring majesty of the mountain itself, the film is beyond reproach, but its characterization of the men and women who risked all is slippery as Everest's icy face. Based on the tragic true events depicted in author Jon Krakauer's book, Into Thin Air (although other material was used as well), the film centers on multiple 1996 expeditions to scale Everest's summit. Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) is the man who helped turn such expeditions into a profitable business, and those corporate concerns clash mightily with the brutal reality of Mother Nature when she's all worked up. Through brisk introductory setup we meet Rob's pregnant wife (Keira Knightley), left behind to worry while he takes on one more climb. There's also 100% Texan Beck Weathers (played by 100% Californian Josh Brolin); everyman Doug Hansen (John Hawkes), who has tried to reach the summit twice and failed; Yasuko Namba (Naoko Mori), a woman who has reached 6 of the world's 7 summits; and Krakauer himself (Michael Kelly), documenting the journey. There are also a trio of ladies, played by the incredibly talented Emily Watson, Robin Wright, and Elizabeth Debicki, who are left behind to man the fort or just to worry. They don't get a lot to do but are essential for drawing an emotional connection, because there aren't many opportunities for that once the expedition actually begins. The mountain is, obviously, treacherous in just about every respect. The weather conditions are unpredictable, every movement or errant sound could trigger a landslide, and there are any number of ways a person can die attempting something like this. "Human beings simply aren’t built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747", Rob informs the already-experienced team, all customers who paid a hefty sum to reach the peak. But the real conflict, at least initially, isn't with the mountain, it's with rival climbers leading similar expeditions. Long-haired hippie Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) is leading one, while other groups make for a crowded field. Tension mounts as climbers are forced to wait in sub-zero temperatures while others go ahead of them, creating a potentially lethal scenario. Not everyone has the experience, the concern, or the temperament Rob has, either. If there's an undertone explored by screenwriters Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) and William Nicholson (Unbroken) it's that Everest has been shamelessly exploited as just another commercial product. In a way, it undercuts the "Because it's there" gung-ho mentality of those who dare climb the mountain. You can now buy an expedition to the top of Mt. Everest like you buy a trip to Hawaii. Conversely, those in charge feel obligated to get you to the summit because you are a paying customer who could give them bad press. There's danger in that kind of compromise, one that Everest should have dug into further. But that would take away from the IMAX 3D escapade at hand, and this is a film that the format was designed for. It's literally breath-taking to follow the aerial ascent, reaching heights up to 29000 feet where every gasp for air could be the last. It's true that the mountain itself gets a far better treatment than the human characters as Kormakur and DP Salvatore Totino impressively capture every jagged foot. However, through all the thick fog and snow the human drama gets buried, exacerbated by the inability to tell who is who underneath all that massive gear. Basically, most of the climbers make the summit, but a severe storm strikes soon after, rendering the journey home nearly impossible. Everybody isn't going to make it back, and the deaths start piling up quickly...perhaps too quickly. In an effort to be as authentic as possible, the tragedy is shown with as little theatrics as possible. It may be honest, it may be how things actually went down, but it makes for a low-key, downbeat survival thriller when all is said and done. There's also a great deal of confusion about the specifics of what actually doomed the climbers, so much so that it may be wise to check the Wikipedia entry, or Krakauer's book, to figure out what really happened. That's not to say the performance during these scenes were bad, though. While this all-star cast don't get enough to build fully formed characters around, individually Clarke, Gyllenhaal, Brolin, Hawkes, and Kelly are great. It's just disappointing to not get more of a sense into who these people were, especially Namba as the one woman in the group attempting a record-breaking feat. Ultimately, Everest succeeds in capturing the experience, putting you right there thousands of feet in the air where no man was meant to go. But like the air at that incredible height, the film is pretty thin and never strives to be about anything in particular. There's no triumph of the human spirit here, just endless tragedy.

I must say that I did not know much about the story going in, despite this happening in my lifetime. So I did not know the outcome, nor did I have any recollection of any details from the actual events from 1996. The first time I viewed this movie I was surprised at just how engaged I was and connected I felt with the characters. Watching it a 2nd time sometime later, knowing full-well the outcome, I was just as engaged in the film and even more enamored by the story overall. Definitely worthwhile for everyone to check out. Also, the 3D version may just be the definitive experience to watch this film. The depth and dimension to the image was just phenomenal. It complimented and enhanced the grandiose nature of the mountain, Everest. The first time I watched it was in 2D, so being able to experience it the 2nd time in 3D only solidified my position that the 3D presentation is a much better way to experience and immerse yourself in the film.

Here is the bottom line: I saw this movie in IMAX and found it physically tough to experience because of how intense the climbing sequences are and because the entire story is true. So I picked this up on blu ray and I can assure you that if you have a big TV and nice speakers and appreciate what some people will do to get closer to nature and come to terms with the their mortality and find out what it means to be alive then this movie is for you. Excellent performances and direction. First class audio and video on disc. Again, you have to appreciate true stories and movies about survival and be willing to see the harsh side of nature to get anything out of this movie. And yeah, maybe dress warm for this. The cold will grab you through screen and that wind blowing through the speakers will chill you to the bone. What a great HD Blu Ray experience. So turn the lights out and the volume way up.

If you enjoy the outdoors and have any experience climbing, then this movie will particularly hold interest for you. Some of the scenes are breathtaking as you see stunning, panoramic views of majestic Mt. Everest and the expansive, surrounding valleys. Although it is tragic lives were lost, the viewer comes to appreciate the unforgiving power of nature and the respect it deserves. Humanity's achievements in many fields are impressive but pale in comparison to the earth's splendid creations, as this film beautifully points out in subtle ways. The bravery of those such as the helicopter pilot who risked everything to save strangers is inspiring. The director's cut and the making of the film are particularly intriguing. Whether you spend much or little time in the outdoors, this is a film worth your time--if nothing else but to appreciate the wonders of our world.

Pros: Great natural disaster movie based on a true story about the struggles to reach the top of Mountain Everest & the individuals who beat the odds. Perfect Dolby Atmos soundtrack that brings life to all channels with lots of ceiling height effect on my 11.2 (7.2.4)! HDR10. I do want to check out the 3D version as well which I have no doubt I will have a wow factor with the help of the OLED. Cons: 3D sold separately. No slipcover but no big deal.

Although not perfect, this was an excellent film. I'd give it 5 stars just for the photography. If it was not filmed on Everest as some folks have said, the sights chosen for photography and/or any computer animation is true to the topography of Everest. I think the portrayal of the amateur mountaineers was more superficial than in the movie, "Into Thin Air", but the photography in this movie was in a different league altogether. The portrayal of Beck Weathers, whom I have met, was poor, making him into a Texas yahoo, and the details of his helicopter rescue were wrong, but, hey, that's Hollywood. I am am avid traveler but not a high altitude mountaineer(And there is a difference in folks who climb in the Rockies and those trying to summit a peak twice the altitude of the highest mountain in the Rockies).

Everest is very intense and full of suspense. It keeps you interested from start to finish. It's based on a true story, and that adds a lot of impact as well. Technically, this HDR 4K movie is quite rich in color, at least in the early parts of the movie away from the snow. I'm a bit new to the HDR thing, and I'm finding the HDR movies to be very dark and hard to bring them up to a picture that I'm used to. This one needed some tweaking, but I was able to get it up to a nice picture. Sound quality was great. I use 7.1, but not Atmos ready, yet, so it plays in Dolby True Audio, and I have found the 4K movies to have a better sound to them than regular bluray.

I knew what the movie was about, and I watched it with a friend. While we enjoyed it, we had very little sympathy for the characters. They knew the danger they were facing, and I assume that they knew what they were doing. A few of them died trying to reach the summit, and I did not feel any sadness whatsoever. Furthermore when they reached the top, I almost expected background fanfare music – and it didn't. Of course in real life nothing like this happened. The movie was well done. The characters were believable (although I did not care for one man who put himself in danger - leaving his wife at home), but it is almost like watching a documentary of what happened to these people. Some movies can be watched repeatedly, but this one it is not.