'3BlackChicks Review...'
VERTICAL LIMIT (2000) Rated PG-13; running time 126 minutes Genre: Action Seen at: Celebration Cinema (Lansing, Michigan) Official site: http://www.spe.sony.com/movies/verticallimit/ IMDB site: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0190865 Written by: Robert King, Terry Hayes Directed by: Martin Campbell Cast: Chris O'Donnell, Bill Paxton, Scott Glenn, Robin Tunney, Izabella Scorupco, Nicholas Lea, Alexander Siddig
Review Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000 Review URL: http://www.3blackchicks.com/bamsvertical.html
By all rights, I shouldn't have liked VERTICAL LIMIT. After all, Action Flicks usually aren't my thing, especially mindless (or, in the case of this movie, overly-earnest almost to the point of unbelievability) Action Flicks. So it came as a shock to me when I realized that not only did I like this movie, I was thrilled, and even *surprised*, by it.
I reckon this was one of those times when you just had to sit back and enjoy the ride. And boy, whadda ride...
The Story (WARNING: **spoilers contained below**): Our Earnest Young Hero, mountain-climber Peter Garrett (Chris O'Donnell) is estranged from his fellow mountain-climbing sister Annie (Robin Tunney) after a tragic accident involving their father (Stuart Wilson) leaves Peter not ever wanting to climb again. Peter learns that Annie has joined the climbing crew of mega-billionaire Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton), an eccentric adventurer who's using the planned climb up the Really Big Mountain called "K2" as a publicity stunt coinciding with the inaugural flight of his Majestic Airlines [Richard Branson...calling Virgin Airlines' Richard Branson...]
Of course, Vaughn, an Evil Megalomaniac in disguise, has a Secret, one which involves the Wizened Mystic climber Montgomery Wick (Scott Glenn), who has plans of his own for the Evil Megalomaniac once Wick finds out that Vaughn plans to go up K2 with a climbing team, led by Best Damn Climber Tom McLaren (Nicholas Lea).
But when something goes Terribly Wrong with the climb, Earnest Peter insists on rescuing his now-Damsel In Distress sister and company, enlisting the aide of Wizened Mystic Wick, Comic Relief Aussie Dudes Malcolm and Cyril (sorry; I can't find their credits listed *anywhere*), Sensitive And Prayerful Guide Kareem (Alexander Siddig), and Medic climber (and Peter's potential Warm Place To Put It) Monique Aubertine (Izabella Scorupco).
Don't be fooled though: despite what the credits say, Chris O'Donnell isn't really the star of this show. No, the *real* focal point of this flick is the mountain itself; K2, in all its treacherous glory, was far and away the big kahuna here.
The Upshot: If my rampant capitalization of those characterizations make me seem cynical about all the Types that make up the characters of VERTICAL LIMIT, it's because my genuine liking of this flick really surprised me. In my book, there's little about the mix of an Earnest Young Hero, a Damsel In Distress, an Evil Megalomaniac, an Wizened Mystic, etc., that should Do It for me. But yet, it did; *they* did. Or, perhaps more correctly, the mixologists - director Martin Campbell and cinematographer David Tattersall - thrilled me with Gee Whiz action shots galore.
The audience never had time to fret over the relatively-transparent plotline, because whenever there was a moment to sit there and think "hey, waaaait a minute...", **BOOM**! you're hit with something new comin' 'round the mountain. This kind of plotting couldn't hold the movie up by itself - there's only so much Thrilling Action one can take, even as good as "Limit"'s Thrilling Action was. Fortunately for VERTICAL LIMIT, a few of its characters - namely Bill Paxton's Vaughn, the surprisingly well-used (and no, not That Way) Monique, and humorous brother climbers Malcolm and Cyril - added a whiff of credible storyline to the action surrounding them.
There are brief subplots involving the Pakistani army (as a plothole-filled excuse to use devices which go **BOOM** way easily) and one character's great need for Revenge, both of which strain the viewer's ability to suspend disbelief just up to the point where Big! Action! comes into play again. I was able to work around it; some viewers may not be able to do so.
VERTICAL LIMIT is one of those rare Action Flicks that overcomes (if not transcends) the genre in which it resides; it maintains its high excitement level throughout, keeps the viewer guessing about what comes next, and even lets its supporting characters have more interesting bits than the so-called stars have. If only for its potentially big surround-sound thump, VERTICAL LIMIT is most def on my "can't wait till it's on DVD" list.
Bammer's Bottom Line: "Story? We don' need no steenkin' story!" Seriously, though, VERTICAL LIMIT was a helluva rollercoaster ride, from beginning to end; truly a thrill a minute. If you don't mind a see-through plotline and story resolution you can predict from a mile away, VERTICAL LIMIT is the Action Flick to catch this season.
VERTICAL LIMIT (rating: greenlight): Don't worry: I won't end this with a lame "Eagles" punchline. I'll leave that one to the movie.
Rose "Bams" Cooper Webchick and Editor, 3BlackChicks Review Movie Reviews With Flava! Copyright Rose Cooper, 2000 EMAIL: bams@3blackchicks.com http://www.3blackchicks.com/
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