release year: 1998
genre: documentary
viewing setting: IMAX theater, 8/9/98
what I expected: cool footage
what I got: reminders why I don't climb mountains
synopsis: This is a documentary of a recent attempt to attain the summit of the world's highest mountain.
impressions: These people are crazy. That's all I can say. I appreciate their bravery and drive, but given the high failure and death rate on this particular mountain, I would never attempt it myself. Anyway...this film had many awesome IMAX shots of the mountain and surrounding areas, and it also did a good job of getting into the climbers' heads. Every detail of the climb was shown, from the training to the setting-up of base camp to the fording of bottomless crevasses to the nearly-vertical ice-climbs at the top. Wow.
acting: N/A...this was real life.
final word: Worthwhile entertainment, especially for adventure fans.
rating: C+