Everest at Redbox!

Credit: pop.inquirer.net

     If you like mountain-climbing movies and/or movies based on a true story, then you will probably want to see this movie. It's well made, but the story bothers me. *Spoiler Alert* It has a sad ending, people really died and it seemed like a lot of problems were avoidable. I think the part that really bothers me is that some of the deaths were avoidable. This all took place in 1996. People who were mountain climbers and adventure seekers decided to turn that into a business. There were different companies and groups of people who were all trying to climb Everest at the same time because there is a window where you have to go in May for your greatest chance of survival. It's when the temperatures are the best they can be and you still have a high chance of not surviving.

     All of these groups of people trying to go at the same time was one problem and taking anybody who wants to go is another problem. There were people who had little to no experience and people who have done this many times before. They sign up and pay big money to have a guide and their crew take them up the mountain for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I don't have a problem with thrill seekers and people who just genuinely wanted to see the top of this mountain. My problem is that people who usually have money to blow don't often listen to the people in charge and this is another problem that led to this tragic moment.

     The first half of the movie is a nice and normal mountain climbing movie. The people are training themselves to handle the cold temperatures and lack of oxygen, communication is good and the temperatures are harsh, but manageable. The second half of the movie is when everything goes downhill. *Spoiler Alert* Some of the guides didn't survive, there was miscommunication and the weather became really bad and unpredictable. One guide didn't survive because he was getting sick early on and his whole team made it to the top. He didn't want to be the only person to not make it to the top. His team reached him when they realized he didn't make it back, but it was too late. 

     Another guide didn't survive because one of his clients was late making it to the top and they were just outside the window of time to go up the mountain. The guide went against his better judgement to help his client and they ran out of oxygen. The client fell off the mountain and the guide survived the first night in what is known as the "danger zone", but no one could reach him due to extremely bad weather. He ended up having to stay there another night and he didn't make it. One of the guides said the oxygen tanks were empty, but the cold temperatures made him kind of hallucinate when the tanks were actually full.

     It's just sad knowing some people could have actually lived. It's even worse when you think about the fact that no one could be taken back and buried. Everest is based on a true story for the most part. It looks good visually, the acting is good and the drama is real intense. This might be a movie you watch once, but wouldn't buy just because you wouldn't want to be constantly reminded, but it is still a good movie. Rating: 6/10