Summary : Drawn to a black and white photograph of Alaska’s Denali National Park, three renowned mountaineers pursue the ultimate adventure by retracing the footsteps of legendary mountaineer, explorer and photographer Bradford Washburn. Will this trio be able to forge their own legend through an ambitious dream: to scale the perilous peaks of Moose’s Tooth? Crossing fragile friendships and intense wounds, {Beyond the Heights} examines the rise to greatness. It’s both a thrilling adventure story and an unforgettable look at the reasons that drive us to explore and surpass ourselves…
Critical : Beyond the peaks could stop at the single story of three men who decide to climb a gigantic peak in Alaska. In reality, their bravery is inspired by the testimony of a photographer from the 1930s, Bradford Washburn, who not only was able to restore the superb black and white landscapes of Denali National Park, but also made possible a surpassing of oneself in the face of to these immense blocks of stones and snow.
- Copyright Jupiter Films
The main interest of this story remains the images. The spectator is absorbed by aerial views of the mountains of great beauty. We tremble with these extreme mountaineers who brave territories that are a priori unapproachable. Faced with the dangers they incur, one wonders where they draw their motivations, especially since the documentary recounts a tragic accident of one of the three climbers, who narrowly escaped death. Moreover, the film is full of dramatic stories, which curiously does not prevent the three friends from projecting themselves into even more complex and dangerous adventures. Immaturity? Addiction ? Taste for tragedy? All questions are good to find an answer to these extraordinary journeys.
- Copyright Jupiter Films
The purpose of the feature film is not to restore only the tests and the training that the mountaineers impose on themselves to climb these infernal mountains. The object is obviously spiritual, to the point that the story ends with a quote from Aristotle which prevails for all forms of self-transcendence to which man exposes himself. At the same time, it’s a story of men, this film. The women are a little absent, apart from two or three sequences where the extreme sportsmen concede the importance of the role played by their partner.
- Copyright Jupiter Films
So here we are faced with a very beautiful film that will take the breath away of the viewer confined to the darkness of a cinema hall. One could regret a somewhat didactic editing and scenario which sometimes exhaust the interest of the subject. In any case, we emerge full of energy after such a documentary, with the feeling that the ordeals that life imposes on us undoubtedly deserve to be corrected in the light of relativism.
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Beyond the Heights – Renan Ozturk, Freddie Wilkinson – review