By Sharael Feist
2003
This movie features rock, ice and mountain climbing In Vertical Limit, Chris O’Donell stars as “Peter,” a climber on a mission to save his sister that has fallen into a crevasse. The dramatic rock climbing opening scene shows Peter faced with having to do something that will change his life forever and that his sister, Annie, will never forgive him for. Years after the incident, Peter is on assignment in the Himalayas as a photographer for National Geographic. His helicopter lands him at a base camp, where he unexpectedly meets up with his estranged sister who is about to lead a promotional expedition to the summit of K2. The climb is to promote a new airline that belongs to Elliott Vaughn, who will be accompanied by Annie, and others on the climb. Vaughn pushes the group to move forward when weather patterns are questionable. Sure enough, a storm moves in and soon one traumatic event leads to another and before you know it, Annie, Vaughn and another climber fall down a crevasse. Peter has a wild idea to carry nitroglycerin on his back and use it to blow open the crevasse where his sister is trapped. With a high dollar reward, Peter enlists the help of several other climbers willing to take the risk. One of the climbers that joins the rescue mission is a man, Wick, whose wife was lost while on an expedition with Vaughn. Her body was never found. A series of tragedies takes place before Peter finally reaches his sister, who is near death. Wick uncovers the truth about his wife’s death and Peter is again forced with the same decision as he was at the beginning of the movie, but this time Wick makes the decision for him, relieving Peter of any guilt. The trek up the mountain and the action-packed events that occur on the mountain will keep you on the edge of your seat. The movie is filled with plenty of action and suspense, however I found that most of the climbing stunts were very unrealistic, and therefore unbelievable. The climbing aspects have definitely been “Hollywoodized.” Filmed in New Zealand, the movie has breathtaking scenery and amazing cinematography.