Review by Micheline Macavoy
Have you ever had a dream where you are
falling, falling into the unknown? Unable to know what is going to happen to
you or whether or not you will survive this traumatic affair? This thrilling
documentary film, ‘Touching the Void’, directed by Kevin Macdonald in 2003, is
just as frightening as your nightmares. This true story tells the tale of two
British mountain climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, who came face to face
with death whilst climbing a hazardous peak in the Peruvian Andes. ‘Touching
The Void’ is a gripping tale of ordinary men coping with extraordinary
circumstances.
The
cinematography in this film is out of this world, much like the exceptional
landscapes. The establishing shots of the beautiful locations create a surreal
juxtaposition between the traumatic events in the film and the exquisite
natural beauty of the snowy mountain ranges. How could a landscape this surreal cause such trauma? The
pinnacle of this breathtaking documentary is this disaster in which as they
scaled the snowy peak with "no margin for error, no helicopter rescue and
no 999", disaster struck. Simpson shattered his knee joint as he hit the
ground. This terror put the pair’s physical and mental abilities to the test,
as well as their friendship. Will Yates risk his life to try and save his
friend? Will either of them make it out of the perilous depths of the Andes Mountains?
The
focus on the success of the human spirit is the frank sincerity of both men in
relating their stories. Yates' admission that he spent most of his voyage down
the mountain trying to think up a story that would make him "look
better" makes him unexpectedly compassionate. Meanwhile, Simpson's account
of sitting alone in an ice crevasse waiting for death while musing on the
existence of God is harrowing, particularly since he came to the conclusion
that he was completely alone in the universe.
The
documentary interviews provide insight into the emotions that Simpson and Yates
were feeling on their brave and traumatic expedition. The interviews provide a
strong narrative to the reconstructions and enable the audience to gain a true
insight into the reality of their courageous story. The reconstructed footage
of their expedition allows the audience to witness the scale and scariness of
this amazing true story.
‘Touching
the Void’ is a first class film and the true story in the icing on the top of a
dangerously hazardous mountain.
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