Touching the Void
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Movie Reviews of Touching the Void
Movie Review: Harrowing Survival Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Two twenty-something friends go to a formidable mountain in the Andes for mountain climbing in 1985. Facing a mountain face to climb like never before, they have the fortune of meeting a stranger who agrees to stay at their base camp. Once they start the climb, they bring the basics: a woefully short gas supply for a mini stove and a little food. They plan to "pack sack," or take the mountain "in a single push". Sort of the bare-bones rendition of backpacking and mountain climbing, they run in peril unforeseen in their young, virile lives. Testing their strength, courage, and spirit, each have crucial decisions to make collectively and individually.
As a documentary and a reinactment, the project is particularly vivid. Being able to recall and honestly share their innermost thoughts is a real draw. Partly based on Joe Simpson's book and containing the interviews of both participants; the actors for Simpson, [Brendan Mackey] and Simon Yatey (Nicholas Aaron) reconstruct their ordeal well. 'Touching the Void' is a thoroughly absorbing journey recalling a harrowing struggle to survive.
Movie Review: move over, shackleton
Summary: 5 Stars
This true story of two British mountain climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, will hands down be one of the most gripping and inspirational films you will ever watch. After scaling the 21,000 foot Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, their descent morphed into a nightmare disaster when Simpson fell and broke his leg. Yates tried to lower him down the mountain, but eventually cut the rope and sent his partner to his death. Or not. The remainder of the film shows how Simpson fell even further into an enormous crevasse and made it down alive by actually lowering himself deeper into that crevasse. The film makers re-enact the drama with actors, but continually switch back to interviews with both Simpson and Yates who describe exactly what happened, what they thought and how they felt. The only story of human bravery, courage and survival that compares to this is Shackleton's failed Antarctica trek in 1914-1916 (recounted in the Imax Endurance). After six surgeries, and an unflincing defense of Yates for cutting the rope, Simpson still climbs today.Movie Review: A remarkable film that gives perspective on life
Summary: 5 Stars
Several weeks ago, I was laid up with a minor back injury and at time found it difficult to do anything. While I was down with this, I staggered to my local video store and rented lots of movies to pass the time and this film was one of them. I watched it 3 times in a row! Watching Joe's struggle with his broken leg in an unforgiving enviornment made my predicament pale by comparison and made me feel fortunate in spite of my own injury. On a deeper level I was moved by this compelling tale of human spirit and tenacity. "Touching the Void" is one the most gripping films I have seen in a long time and was much more compelling and powerful than most of the the big budget Hollowood films about mountain climbing (Cliffhanger, Vertical Limit) The fact that this all really happened makes it all the more remarkable. Hearing the real people telling their stories in tandem with re-enactments of the events made for a film that was truly an experience to watch and left me with a sense of wonder that will always be with me.Movie Review: The most overwhelming movie experience you can have
Summary: 5 Stars
I've seen countless movies over the years but I don't think I've ever been moved in quite the same way that I was watching Touching the Void. I first saw Touching the Void in a small art-house theater in Chicago, the experience was closer to going to church than going to the movies. The entire theater was dead quiet throughout the film but you could feel the tension throughout the room. After it was over I felt like I had been holding my breath for an hour and a half - incredible when you consider that, this being a documentary, I more or less knew how it was going to end - and others I talked to in the theater expressed the same feelings. I wasn't sure if anything would be lost in the transfer to DVD, it wasn't. Not only was the story just as gripping on the small screen but the extra features made a perfect movie-going experience even better. People marching off to see I, Robot or whatever other dreck Hollywood throws at us have no idea what they're missing in this masterpiece.Movie Review: incredible film, incredible story, incredible dvd extras
Summary: 5 Stars
Directed by Kevin MacDonald, this film relates the harrowing experiences of two young British climbers who, in 1985, attempted to climb Peru's Siula Grande, a mountain that had already defeated other climbing teams. After a difficult ascent, the two found real trouble as they attempted to return to their base when Joe Simpson broke his leg. When Simon Yates was later criticized for his actions during the climb, Simpson wrote a book to defend his friend and set the record straight, even dedicating the book to his colleague. Narrated by Yates and Simpson and intercut with reenactments on Siula Grande by actors, this documentary/drama is exciting and gripping. DVD extras are also exceptional: a 23-minute making-of featurette; a 25-minute, Return to Siula Grande; the 10-minute What Happened Next?; and a trailer. The film can be heard in English and subtitled in English or Spanish.
Higly recommended.