With scant time to acclimatise, Everest is quick to set up base camp deep in the foreshadowing of the mountain.

Everest is a sight worthy of cinema’s largest screens, and a breathtaking canvas for the disastrous events of 1996.

The star-studded cast are almost universally up for the challenge, giving solid performances which convey the lure of the mountain as much as the tragedy on it. Blame is left intentionally vague, with machismo and misfortune mingled throughout the narrative.

At its peak Everest is a heart-in-mouth experience, yet never tear-in-eye and with Touching The Void always just out of reach.

Everest is effective as disaster tragedy, personal drama and nature documentary. The last word, however, always belongs to the mountain, and Everest’s epicness dwarves even the Eve-rest (sorry). 

RATING: 4/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Jason Clarke, John Hawkes, Michael Kelly, Emily Watson, Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley, Josh Brolin, Robin Wright, Jake Gyllenhaal

DIRECTOR: Baltasar Kormákur

WRITERS: William Nicholson, Simon Beaufoy

SYNOPSIS: A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe snow storm.