#1 reason you won't ever see me even near a mountain

While Everest does remind me a lot of the 1992 film K2; I couldn't help but be compelled by the film through-out. The cast is stellar and if you don't the story it's based on; it has you at the edge of your seat. The film is engaging but also heartbreaking at times. Of course there's fine work by Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh Brolin. It's Sam Worthington who surprised me though with probably the best work of his career.

Even though the film is based on a tragic true story, this is surprisingly uninvolving despite the strong cast involved. There is little here beyond a somewhat formulaic script that seems determined to hit all too-familiar notes and robs the film of any real tension or emotional connection with the characters. Only Brolin and Clarke's characters are given enough development within the film to make you care about them beyond the obvious sympathy for the real people who were involved. Fortunately the film does highlight both the beauty and danger of the environment in which the climbers are working and as they reach the summit, the final hour is a gripping realization of the gradual unease of the characters as weather conditions worsen and the harsh and unforgiving nature of the storm they found themselves in. It is a shame the film offers so little insight into these characters beforehand.

It’s hard to look at Everest without thinking of epic triumph. But this film isn’t aiming for tribute or glory—it throws itself into the storm to reveal the brutal cost of obsession. From the very beginning, the director makes it clear: there are no heroes here, just people determined to challenge the unchallengeable, paying a steep price. What remains is more like mourning than adventure. And it works. It really does. The pacing might feel cold, like the mountain itself. But that’s exactly the point. Kormákur doesn’t try to sweeten the pain or dress up the despair. Some scenes feel almost documentary-like, and certain shots overwhelm with their stillness. Beyond the visual spectacle—and it is spectacular—what hits the hardest is the steady accumulation of small decisions that lead these people to the edge. At times it’s hard to follow so many characters, and a few could’ve had more emotional weight. But maybe that speaks to the real confusion of extreme situations. At 8,000 meters, your world shrinks to the breath you don’t have, the step you can’t take. The film captures that suffocating tension with admirable clarity. What’s most disturbing is the absence of a villain. There’s no monster, no external threat—just people who had it all and risked everything to stand at the summit for a single minute. And that minute became their last. When the snow settles and silence takes over, it’s hard not to question that drive to prove something no one asked you to prove. Everest doesn’t move you with speeches, but with emptiness. It doesn’t stir with music, but with the weight of missing air. It’s one of those films you remember not for one specific scene, but for the feeling it leaves in your gut. A strange blend of awe and grief—like realizing not everything great is beautiful.

3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Everest’: 1. I found the story to be very disjointed, kinda all over the place. Many times, I didn’t know what was going on, where exactly these people were, and who I was looking at. 2. The visuals were the most impressive aspect of the film. I’d be interested to see how the heck they filmed all of that. 3. The fact that this is a true story is pretty compelling, but I believe another film could’ve told it better.