Vertical Limit

He has retired from climbing and is a photographer. Peter’s sister Annie (Robin Tunney) has become a renowned mountain climber. Peter happens to show up at base camp as Annie attempts to climb K2 in the Pakistan province of Gilgit-Baltistan, 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 (Bill Paxton) who is also going to climb, with the help of his friend Tom McLaren (Nicholas Lea). There is a huge party the night before the climbers begin the trek. Vaughn is introduced to Peter, whom he asks to accompany them on the trip, but Peter instantly refuses. The climb is a disaster as the winds begin to wreak havoc. Annie, Vaughn, and Tom fall through a patch of ice and become trapped in a crevasse. Annie radios back to base using Morse code and Peter learns of Annie’s plight. Due to the seriousness of the cave-in, the rescue party realizes that they may need explosives to blast a hole for a rescue. But the only explosive that they can get their hands on is old nitroglycerin in leaky canisters. Few climbers are willing to consider the trip. Peter manages to assemble a rescue mission with the base’s best climbers including brothers Cyril and Malcolm (Le Marquand and Mendelsohn), Monique Aubertine (Izabella Scorupco), Kareem Nazir (Alexander Siddig) and Skip Taylor (Robert Taylor). However, the day before the rescue mission goes underway. Skip and Peter also go visit Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn), reported to be the world’s best climber and foremost expert on K2. Skip is unable to go as Wick says he needs him on the ground directing the mission. 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 up the mountain with the hope that diversifying their explosives will increase the chances of at least one pair getting through if another has an accident with the unstable Nitro. 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 Cyril loses his balance and clings to the side of a cliff. After Monique secures her harness to him, the peak cracks and Monique also falls over the edge and the nitro falls from Cyril’s backpack and creates a huge explosion that the other teams notice. Cyril is able to climb back up, however, while he cheers arrogantly lowering a harness for Monique, they both hear a rumbling noise. The explosion and 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 off 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.

2000

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Movie

2018-02-07 18:07:54

1.85:1

127

1.85:1

2018-02-07 18:07:54