THE STORY – An intimate portrait of two people bound by love, ambition, and the pursuit of the impossible. Elite ski mountaineers Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson fall deeply in love while reaching the pinnacle of their sport: Everest’s north face.
THE CAST – Jim Morrison & Hilaree Nelson
THE TEAM – Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin (Directors)
THE RUNNING TIME – 115 Minutes
Everyone is familiar with that age-old question: why does a person feel an incredible urge to climb a mountain? The answer, of course, is that it just happens to be there. A simple explanation as to why drives human ambition to conquer the natural elements. It’s a domain we, as a species, have so little control over, and facing the elements head-on offers a rarefied sense of accomplishment. For some, scaling such a steep endeavor is not enough, and larger-scale thrills are necessary to indulge in an even greater victory. It’s a challenging road that’s presented in “Everest: The Other Side,” a portrait of stunning physicality that will also challenge whether this common urge can be justified at such huge risks.
For Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson, life along mountainsides has been an unstoppable passion. Both have indulged in climbing as well as the even more dangerous trek of skiing down the treacherous snow planes. It’s a journey that’s always full of peril, but their pursuits have also bonded their romantic attachment further. They share an ultimate dream: to climb Mount Everest from the more perilous side that exists in China and ski to the bottom. However, that dream is shattered when Nelson is killed in an avalanche during a training mission. Heartbreak consumes Morrison, but he is also determined to finish this quest and honor his late partner. As he formulates a plan of attack and assembles a team, the harrowing conditions threaten to derail this goal permanently. Still, he is determined to complete this task, constantly existing in a fragile state that could end his own life as well.
Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin have a history of documenting individuals who find themselves in dangerous situations. Some put themselves in these circumstances by choice to seek thrills, like Alex Honold in “Free Solo,” while others worked tirelessly to save the lives of the Thai soccer team in “The Rescue.” Those previous films always managed to find a balance that showcased the bravery it took to accomplish such feats without losing perspective on the jeopardy that was always abounding around. Death was always a factor to consider, but this time it is within the text. The moment that Nelson slides off into the white abyss is caught on video, and Vasarhelyi has a sober conversation with Chin about the large number of friends who have perished. This time, though, it’s brought frighteningly close, and now that danger is more severely underlined. But Morrison is steadfast in completing this trip, despite the harsh elements and other accidents befalling his collaborators seeming to divinely intervene on his behalf to abort. This makes his mission statement much murkier, especially since this is not the first tragedy to befall his family. One can say this is a way to cope with that trauma, but there really isn’t a grand act of heroism to justify these actions, nor is the process controlled mostly by a single individual who chooses to put his life on the line. Morrison is an endearing figure, but it’s more difficult to rally behind his quest as depicted here.
Still, that doesn’t mean what is shown isn’t an impressive feat. Even if it’s harder to relate to this feat mentally, the footage captured of his journey is still magnificent. The raw power of nature experienced from within an avalanche, as seen by the crew, is a distressing but captivating sight. The clouds that soar across the mountaintops and create unique patterns in the wind are a unique view of the natural landscape that is undoubtedly beautiful. Beyond the scenery, Morrison includes a moment that becomes the film’s subtitle: the belief that a spiritual awakening can occur when climbing Everest and that the souls of loved ones can be felt from that “other side.” It’s a personal moment that resonates, as do the early depictions of domestic life when Nelson pushes her children to indulge in the activity she has spent so much time training for, and her youngest shows both disgust and pride at his perseverance. It’s those moments that bring a much-needed humanity to the piece that was far more prevalent in these filmmakers’ previous works.
It’s hard not to be frustrated at times with “Everest: The Other Side” and its choice of subject matter this time. The directors also find themselves within the story, as Chin takes a position on the climbing team after Nelson’s death. It perhaps suggests a different perspective to this material that doesn’t feel as engrossing. However, despite the more challenging character study at the center, it’s hard to deny the majesty of the terrain. Even in the most terrifying of situations, the sheer audacity it takes to traverse such an environment is incredibly impressive. Knowing that death has already struck a participant who’s already had an emotional connection attached through interviews means that the stakes are even higher, and every tiny skip those skis make creates an elevated sense of anxiety and tension. While this rendering of a particular adrenaline junkie isn’t quite as alluring, the broader intention to demonstrate that unrelenting tenacity is still effective. Despite itself, the film is still a moving exercise.
