A film that lends itself the same tagline as the visual stunning Gravity that came and went just a few short years ago, seems to be in good company. Which it is. Everest, chronicles some hapless schmos on their descent onto the highest peak in the world, is quite, frankly, a heavily dramatized portrait of what ‘likely’ happened. (I’m not arguing the logistic of this being a true story, cause it is. I’m arguing the imprint Hollywood has on films). That being said It’s hard to point out such a fatal flaw in a film that hardly settles for anything less than astounding. I often found myself in one instance enthralled in danger, to only be whisked down into reality the next. The often compatible performances by a top notch cast – whose names include: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkins, and Sam Worthington – make Everest more than just an avalanche that falls apart on cue.

Clarke who plays Rob Hall, an everyman whose venture company specializes in taking thrill seekers into an intense training regimen (over 40 days) which mentally (physically) prepares them to summit one of the world’s most unobtainable locations, the top of Mt. Everest. The journey began in the spring of 1996, with a planned descent on May 10th (a day that seemed perfect according to radar) but proved futile for most who attempted it. Brolin plays (expertly) Beck Weathers, a texan with some political pull and a devoted family. While Hawkins plays Doug Hansen, a hard working family man dueling three jobs to make ends meet, and an expeditionist that has attempted to brave the climb to the top of everest twice before, only to be met with some sort of medical castophre. I won’t go into any more detail, but for those that understand what happens it’s not hard to establish the unfortunate fate some of these characters faced. That’s not a spoiler. This is a true story after all.

Batasar Kormakur the Icelandic director who, at this point, seemed to be settling for typical big studio genre fare (Contraband or 2 Guns) does his most rewarding film yet. He executes some exhilarating set pieces, and because of all these terrific performances we can easily feel some of the isolation each of these folks must have actually faced in these terrifyingly dark moments. Although most of the characters are simply reduced to putty just so the filmmakers could have a big name on the poster. (Thinking of you Sam Worthington, Robin Penn, or Keira Knightly). Then there is Jason Clarke, a man you know from films like Zero Dark Thirty, does so well in the role as Hall it’s a wonder that he hasn’t become a household name. Of course the film wouldn’t have the same feel without lead cinematographer Salvatore Totino (who shot both The Davinci Code and Angels & Demons). This is easily, judging from his resume online, the most ambitious of his filmography. The swooping horizons over the 29,000 foot tundra.dares to invite us to take this climb as well.

Kormakur’s unsettling look at the 1996 mountain tragedy is an intense thriller that is specifically engineered for the big screen. Everest is equal parts spectacle and harrowing survival tale. While the picture may not be the foremost realistic portrait of such high stakes. However, Kormakur – aided by an unwavering and unsentimental screenplay forces the audience to focus on the greater things in which life has to offer. Grade: B