K2
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Movie Reviews of K2
Movie Review: DECENT ADVENTURE STORY FOR ARMCHAIR CLIMBERS...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is essentially a buddy movie clothed in mountaineering garb. It is a story about two climbers: one, a Seattle based attorney, the other, a physics instructor. They are a mismatched pair of friends who are brought together because of their love for climbing. The story line is about the ultimate test that their friendship endures while high on K2, the second highest mountain in the world but the most perilous to climb.
The rock climbing scenes that take place in the first fifteen minutes of the movie are terrific to watch, even though they may not be technically correct. After all, it's a movie, not a documentary. The scenery is spectacular and the cinematography is excellent.
These friends decide to grab an opportunity to climb K2 with an expedition that lost two of its team members to an avalanche on Denali. The attorney has no problem going to K2, but the physics instructor leaves behind his weeping wife and child. Yet his friendship with the attorney and his own desire to climb K2 compel him to leave his distraught family.
There are a number of scenes in the movie that seem to be taken from real life. While on expedition to K2, the porters leave them stranded, refusing to go any further on the mountain, as they have portents of doom. They also want more money. One scene has the attorney burning rupees in defiance of the porters' strike. World class mountaineer Jim Wickwire did the same thing, when he climbed K2, and under similar circumstances.
In another scene, a number of climbers fall into a crevasse only to be saved at the last minute by the physics instructor, as he digs his ice axes in and grips the road. The film also include a scene that shows the expedition leader succumbing to high altitude sickness, necessitating his descent of K2 as soon as possible.
Animosity on the mountain between the climbing leader and the attorney over who will be part of the first summit team is also reminiscent of real life expeditions. It is here that the attorney's friendship with the physics instructor becomes strained, as he lays claim to be on the first summit team and does not include his friend, even though they had been climbing partners for ten years. So much for the brotherhood of the rope.
After the first summit team is finished off by the mountain, the two friends summit, but on the descent the physics instructor falls and is seriously injured, breaking his leg. As you can imagine, this is really bad news, as it is tantamount to a death sentence, especially when you are in the death zone and without oxygen.
Since this is a buddy movie, the attorney comes up with a plan to get his friend down K2. I won't tell you what it is, but I will give you a hint. The plan used is to be found in Joe Simpson's book "Touching the Void".
Interestingly enough, the movie is dedicated to two mountaineers of renown: Seattle attorney, Jim Wickwire, and physicist, Lou Reichardt, both of whom were among the first Americans to summit K2 in 1978. This film seems to be loosely based upon some of their mountaineering exploits. It is a moderately enjoyable film that should appeal to armchair climbing enthusiasts everywhere.
Movie Review: Good film done in by mediocre DVD release
Summary: 3 Stars
While K2 suffers from a certain predictability, it has some of the most spectacular mountain climbing scenes ever filmed. Michael Biehn and Matt Craven are two professionals from Seattle who join billionaire Raymond J. Barry and his team as they attempt to climb K2, the world's second largest peak. It's simply a story of how the team comes together to conquer the mountain. There is tragedy along the way and a test of personal friendship as the team makes its ascent to the top. It's somewhat remarkable that this Paramount/Miramax co-production of relatively recent vintage (1991) has been relegated to a release through a budget video company. The DVD presentation is extremely disappointing; the film has a soft look. I remember it looking much clearer and crisper in the theater at the time of its initial release. Most unfortunately, this DVD has been released in pan & scan rather than in widescreen; viewers are really being cheated of some outstanding cinematography. Also, the extras are minimal . . . there's a brief synopsis of the film, credits of the principal film makers, and short biographies of the film's two main stars, Michael Biehn and Matt Craven. This is the type of film where a "Making of" featurette would have been a great and welcome addition. Let's hope that sometime in he future, that Paramount or Miramax will see fit to give K2 the DVD release that it truly deserves.Movie Review: Took way too long to receive
Summary: 3 Stars
I chose this vendor since they had the most reviews/transactions. The only complaints I saw were about slow delivery. I took my chances and placed the order on 7/6/10. I was ordering this movie for a birthday gift for 7/18/10. I paid extra for expedited delivery. The estimated delivery dates were 7/12/10-7/19/10. By 7/27/10 I contacted the vendor to ask for the status of delivery. They said they would check into it. When they got back to me they simply asked if I wanted a replacement or a credit - No explanation as to whether the order never shipped or if it was lost in transit. I asked for a replacement and finally received my order on 8/7/10. Yes, I finally received my purchase after 30 days but with no explanation as to what happened to my initial order. I would be hesitant about ordering from this vendor again.Movie Review: Excellent Climbing movie but bad DVD transfer
Summary: 3 Stars
When I found a copy of K2 on DVD I was really excited. However, when I came home and watched it I was very disappointed about the film tranfer to DVD. The picture looks a bit clouded and soft. During some of the darkers scences I could see pixels in the character's movement and background. The sound is Ok but not too impressive. The DVD has very little extras. Even though the DVD is disappointing it doesn't take away from the incredible climbing scenes. This is a great climbling movie despite the DVD flaws. Wait for a better release if it ever happens.Movie Review: GREAT FILM, POOR DVD
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a different version to the European one i own on video, it has 6 mins of extra scenes and a very different music score which is not as good as the more orchestral soundtrack on the UK Edition(so im keeping my video copy), still a great film but no real extras and no widescreen transfer, the DVD has not been released in the UK yet so hurry up with an extras loaded widescreen release with all the scenes added. (there are scenes missing from the US release that the UK one has!). PLEASE do this film the justice it deserves next time.