Independent Films, Film Profiles

Vertical Limit
by Martin_Campbell

Vertical Limit is a 2000 thriller action film directed by New Zealander Martin Campbell (GoldenEye, Casino Royale, The Mask of Zorro) starring, among others, Chris O'Donnell, Bill Paxton, Robin Tunney and Scott Glenn.Peter Garrett (O'Donnell) is a retired climber who a few years earlier caused his father to fall off a cliff face and plummet to his death in order to save his sister and his own lives (following his Dad's orders). The film starts with this scene in which father, son and daughter are climbing together. Peter hasn't been able to move on and has subsequently retired from climbing and is doing documentary work instead. Peter's sister Annie (Tunney) has become a renowned mountain climber. Peter happens to show up at base camp as Annie attempts to climb K2 in Pakistan, the world's second highest mountain, which is very dangerous to climb because of the tough conditions which await at the summit. The expedition is funded by wealthy industrialist Elliot Vaughn (Paxton) who is also going to climb, with the help of his friend Tom McLaren (Lea). There is a huge party the night before the climbers begin the trek. Elliot is introduced to Peter, who he asks to accompany them on the trip, but Peter instantly refuses.The climb turns out to be a disaster as the windy conditions begin to wreak havoc among the travelers. Annie, Elliot and Tom fall through a patch of ice and become trapped in a cavern. Annie radios back to base using morse code and Peter learns of Annie's plight. He assembles together a rescue mission with the base's best climbers including brothers Cyril and Malcolm (Le Marquand and Mendelsohn), Monique Aubertine (Scorupco), Kareem Nazir (Siddig) and Skip Taylor (Taylor). However, the day before the rescue mission goes underway. Skip and Peter go visit Montgomery Wick (Glenn), reported to be the world's best climber, and who has climbed K2 before. After an awkward conversation with Wick, he agrees to go and Peter sees Wick's bare feet without toes. Skip informs him Wick lost his wife on the mountain and lost his toes to frostbite, and that Wick has searched for her every day since the accident. Skip is unable to go as Wick says he needs him on the ground directing the mission, instead of being with it.The teams pair off: Malcolm and Kareem (much to Malcolm's dismay), Monique and Cyril and Peter and Wick. They each split up and take different entry points of the mountain. Cyril constantly "flirts" with Monique (much to her dismay). Malcolm and Kareem have awkward conversations which Malcolm points to wanting to complete the mission faster. Monique and Cyril enter trouble when a peak cracks and Monique falls over the edge but is saved by Cyril thanks to her harness. While Cyril cheers arrogantly, they both hear a rumbling noise. The crackling has in fact started an avalanche and is heading straight for Cyril. Cyril, unable to do anything watches and screams helplessly as the avalanches swamps him and subsequently throws him over the edge of the peak. Monique, still hanging onto the edge, manages to survive and get back onto the peak. She then radios in and informs base that Cyril has been killed, but orders them not to tell Malcolm yet.Back at the station, nitroglycerin, used to clear rock formations etc., comes into contact with the sun and reacts and subsequently explodes, completely dumbfounding the crew. Base tell the groups to get their cases of nitroglycerin into the shade and fill it up with snow in order to avoid an explosion. Monique teams up with Peter and Wick and they successfully manage to avoid a calamity. Malcolm and Kareem just manage to get the nitroglycerin into the shade. They start to laugh in relief, not knowing the nitroglycerin can is leaking and it is exposed to the sun and both of them are killed in the explosion. Monique, Wick and Peter witness the explosion.Meanwhile, underground, Annie begins to suffer from pulmonary edema, when water begins to form inside of the lungs, and she will die unless given medical attention. Tom is in a more severe state, with his leg and ribs broken. Elliot is the only one unharmed and possesses the medical kit. Annie pleads with him to use dexamethasone (colloquially referred to in the movie as "Dex") to save Tom and herself, but Elliot declines, unwilling to waste it on a "lost cause". More to the fact, Elliot doesn't want to die and believes he and Annie have the best chance of survival.During the trek the next day, Peter comes across a woman's body frozen in the ice. He calls over to Wick and he instantly recognizes the body; it is his own wife. Ward tells Peter he holds Elliot responsible for his wife's death and plans to kill him on the mountain. Peter and Monique begin to grow close and there is a hinted romance. Night comes and underground, Elliot plots to kill Tom, so more Dex can be used on himself. He does this by silently suffocating Tom.Peter and Monique continue and they soon find the place where Annie and Elliot are imprisoned. They effectively use the nitroglycerin to destroy a huge chunk of the ice and creating a hole, enabling access to the survivors below. Wick arrives at this point, and along with Peter (with Monique towing the rope) they manage to pull Annie out of the hole. Wick then manages to buckle Elliot onto the rope and all seems well. Suddenly a tremor occurs and the collective weight of the all three men is too heavy for the girls to pull out. With Elliot below him, Wick decides to sacrifice himself, despite Elliot shrieking at him not to. He cuts the rope with a knife and both are lost below. Peter is saved and he, Monique and Annie then embrace. The film ends with Annie safely at a camp and reconciled with her brother who she had never forgiven for "killing" their father.