Into Thin Air: Death on Everest
starring: Peter Horton, Christopher McDonald, Nathaniel Parker, Richard Jenkins, Tim Dutton
directed by: Robert Markowitz
directed by: Robert Markowitz
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Product Description:
A taut gripping true-life adventure chronicling the suspensef struggle for survival on the peaks of the worlds highest mountain.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 08/31/2004Starring: Peter Horton Christopher McdonaldRun time: 90 minutesRating: NrDirector: Robert Markowitz
Amazon.com:
Based on Jon Krakauer's bestselling book, Into Thin Air re-creates an ill-fated 1996 expedition to Everest that claimed at least five lives, including those of two world-class climbers. Only 90 minutes in length, the film jumps right into the action at Everest base camp and compresses the two-month trek into just a few days of exhilarating adventure. Periodic voice-overs by Krakauer (Christopher McDonald) provide essential background information and guide us through the invisible, intensifying effects of altitude and stress. Krakauer joined the trip to write an article on the commercialization of Everest, but as conditions on the mountain deteriorate he is forced to focus all his energy on survival.
Unfortunately the film fails to really develop any of its characters before thrusting them onto the harrowing face of Everest. As a result, it's difficult to understand the relationships that play out as the group struggles to the summit and back. While the trio of leading actors is solid, only Nat Parker (who plays guide Rob Hall) has enough screen time to develop an interesting, complex character. Peter Horton's portrayal of unconventional guide Scott Fischer is almost hyperbolic and McDonald's Krakauer is stiff and difficult to read.
While the film succeeds in creating a palpable sense of agony and suspense, those in search of a more thoughtful, detailed account of the expedition will be better served by reading the book. --Claire Campbell
A taut gripping true-life adventure chronicling the suspensef struggle for survival on the peaks of the worlds highest mountain.Studio: Sony Pictures Home EntRelease Date: 08/31/2004Starring: Peter Horton Christopher McdonaldRun time: 90 minutesRating: NrDirector: Robert Markowitz
Amazon.com:
Based on Jon Krakauer's bestselling book, Into Thin Air re-creates an ill-fated 1996 expedition to Everest that claimed at least five lives, including those of two world-class climbers. Only 90 minutes in length, the film jumps right into the action at Everest base camp and compresses the two-month trek into just a few days of exhilarating adventure. Periodic voice-overs by Krakauer (Christopher McDonald) provide essential background information and guide us through the invisible, intensifying effects of altitude and stress. Krakauer joined the trip to write an article on the commercialization of Everest, but as conditions on the mountain deteriorate he is forced to focus all his energy on survival.
Unfortunately the film fails to really develop any of its characters before thrusting them onto the harrowing face of Everest. As a result, it's difficult to understand the relationships that play out as the group struggles to the summit and back. While the trio of leading actors is solid, only Nat Parker (who plays guide Rob Hall) has enough screen time to develop an interesting, complex character. Peter Horton's portrayal of unconventional guide Scott Fischer is almost hyperbolic and McDonald's Krakauer is stiff and difficult to read.
While the film succeeds in creating a palpable sense of agony and suspense, those in search of a more thoughtful, detailed account of the expedition will be better served by reading the book. --Claire Campbell
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- This movie is the real disaster
The true story of the Everest 1996 disaster is so compelling, it is almost unfathomable how that story could be taken, and made into a cheesy, poorly acted, poorly made film.I guess the actors aren't all bad, but the cinematography is awful, the characters are never developed, the script is choppy, and the way the story is fleshed out is almost anti-climactic.
If you want the real experience of the drama and devastation that happened, read Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the ... Read More
Rating: 
- 1.5 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
A quickly-put-together and unconvincing version of Krakauer's amazing book, Into Thin Air (and other movies like it, obviously) is the reason why "TV movie" is a pejorative term; rewriting real people to make heroes and villains and condensing everything into a tidy 100 minute block, Into Thin Air is depressingly bad.
Rating: 
- I love Peter Horton movies
I also chose this movie because Peter Horton played in it. Although I liked it i think I didn't like much the end of the movie. But it's good anyway.
Rating: 
- High Value Metaphor
Rather than for its entertainment value, "Into Thin Air" has its highest value as a docudrama and metaphor for crucial aspects of phenomenal successes and spectacular failures we witness and may experience in varying aspects of our lives. The film takes a full-frontal no-nonsense approach to the expedition, while the book bears a similarly terse attack on both the blatant and subtle errors in judgement and performance that would lead to death on everest. Both the book and movie are permanent members ... Read More
Rating: - Not quite the book but good!
Movie does a good job of capturing the suspense and tension of the tragedy on Everest.A limited setting (on the mountain) slows the pacing at times.My freshmen and sophomore students enjoyed the movie, but loved the book.It's unrated, but the material is suitable for high school students.A good supplement.
- This movie is the real disasterThe true story of the Everest 1996 disaster is so compelling, it is almost unfathomable how that story could be taken, and made into a cheesy, poorly acted, poorly made film.I guess the actors aren't all bad, but the cinematography is awful, the characters are never developed, the script is choppy, and the way the story is fleshed out is almost anti-climactic.
If you want the real experience of the drama and devastation that happened, read Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the ... Read More
- 1.5 stars out of 4The Bottom Line:
A quickly-put-together and unconvincing version of Krakauer's amazing book, Into Thin Air (and other movies like it, obviously) is the reason why "TV movie" is a pejorative term; rewriting real people to make heroes and villains and condensing everything into a tidy 100 minute block, Into Thin Air is depressingly bad.
- I love Peter Horton moviesI also chose this movie because Peter Horton played in it. Although I liked it i think I didn't like much the end of the movie. But it's good anyway.
- High Value MetaphorRather than for its entertainment value, "Into Thin Air" has its highest value as a docudrama and metaphor for crucial aspects of phenomenal successes and spectacular failures we witness and may experience in varying aspects of our lives. The film takes a full-frontal no-nonsense approach to the expedition, while the book bears a similarly terse attack on both the blatant and subtle errors in judgement and performance that would lead to death on everest. Both the book and movie are permanent members ... Read More
- Not quite the book but good!Movie does a good job of capturing the suspense and tension of the tragedy on Everest.A limited setting (on the mountain) slows the pacing at times.My freshmen and sophomore students enjoyed the movie, but loved the book.It's unrated, but the material is suitable for high school students.A good supplement.
