The Mountain Between Us
Hany Abu-Assad
Writers:
J. Mills Goodloe, Chris Weitz, and Charles Martin (novel).
Cast:
Idris Elba (Ben Bass), Kate Winslet (Alex Martin), Beau Bridges (Walter), Dermot Mulroney (Mark).
Opening Sequences:
Many by now have noticed the schedule of this website has moved to every other week. Sometimes choices are made, and this one has been wonderful. I love to write reviews, but my unsettling overtime at work has put me in the in-between stage. Family, work, reviews, and life, in general, has come to play.
Overtime is great and appreciated but continuing with a very unsettling rotation makes my head spin. Not going to attack my employer, but sometimes releasing some negative energy is the best thing to do. And writing about the situation is almost enduring. I mean it has put a stranglehold on my life, and like I said it's needed, but is it really? Do I have to work 12 hours a day six days a week, only seeing my family for very little time? I love what I do but why is the OT needed to the point of exhaustion. My daughter Delaney is one and seeing her for two hours, except my off day is ridiculous. I should be involved in her growth and changes, not pretending to be there, or a cardboard cut out.
Now that I got that off my chest lets get started with the review, shall we?
Review:
Stranded after a plane crash. Two strangers have grown closer together after surviving the weather. With the help of Walter the Charter plane pilot. Alex (Kate Winslet), Ben Bass (Idris Elba) need to get to Denver. Ben is a surgeon which needs to be at his destination. A 10-year-old boy needs heart surgery. Meanwhile, Alex is to be married in Denver.
Ben and Alex are very different, but as they fly towards the destination. A snow is beautiful in the mountains. Walter, and Alex both chit-chat as the plane continues to fly above. Suddenly Walter calls into the tower. His speech is staggered, almost as if he were drunk. As the plane dives, Ben reaches to Walter realizing the pilot is having a stroke. But as he tries to awaken Walter the plane continues to descend. Walter passes out. Ben and Alex put their seatbelt on as the plane hits the side of the mountain, crashing to an open snowy location.
The camera focuses on the plane. Inside Ben struggles, opens his eyes and notices Alex had broken her leg. Stabilizing it, warming her up. Using the material around him to prevent death.
All I have to say is this particular scene here is amazing. The silence, despair, but yet his medical knowledge still intact made him a calm expert. The circumstances to which these folks were in are horrendous. I hate snow as it is and seeing a snowy, elevated location gives me a whole lot of anxiety. The all white snow with the plane being the exception is God awful, I mean the white and nothing but white all around.
So Ben does the Magiver thing and saves Alex. Oh did I say that the dog lived the crash, and an ordeal with a Cougar. The intense moments gives me the urge to vomit. I'm not really impressed at the survival vs winter thing. It's pretty bad, I don't like the idea of films going into these types of concepts. They make me absolutely crazy, just saying.
The point of the film is survival, yes, but two strangers falling for each other along the way. The uncomfortable situations as they moved from one location to another is conveyed beautifully throughout the film. I didn't read the book, but as a film, the director's vision is definitely portrayed to perfection.
I really like this movie because of the crossroads towards the end. They loved each other so much that they, in the end, couldn't go on living their lives. But they at least tried. The feel was awesome throughout the film, it managed to put the viewer in a different place. That is perfection, I mean the way it just was told was amazing. Two actors in the film. It was acted well, I didn't feel bored or taken away. It drew me in right from the beginning. The cast was very small, but it didn't really matter because all of the actors did an amazing job. Even the attendant at the airport in Act 1.
In end the film was awesome, it even made me feel heartbroken when the two main characters, Ben and Alex moved on. Granted deep inside you knew something would happen to bring these two lovable characters together. Still, I loved the film, not because of all the disaster stuff but the way it was constructed. How Ben managed to convince himself to return to Alex, leaving her in the Cabin, but decide not to because there situation was dire, which brought them together.
Comments