At first glance, climbing mountains seems like just going up, but it’s way more than that when you consider the stunning views, avalanches, falls, frostbite, and altitude sickness. Once you begin, the journey isn’t just a race to the top; it’s also about survival.
You can’t afford to make any mistakes that could instantly end your life or career. There are plenty of movies about adventurous climbers who boldly risk everything to chase their dreams. This article features some of the best mountaineering films based on how much money they made, the love from critics, and their cult following. So without further ado, here are our picks for the 10 best movies about mountaineering!
The Mountain Between Us
In The Mountain Between Us, Alex, a photographer, and Ben, a brain surgeon, find themselves in the merciless wilderness following a plane crash. With their pilot dead and no help around, the two decide to trek through the humongous mountain terrain to find help.
With the weather getting worse and supplies running low, the two strangers have no choice but to rely on each other and find civilization before it’s too late.
Touching the Void
If you think Touching the Void is an ordinary film about scaling mountains and rocky peaks, you couldn’t be more wrong. This Kevin Macdonald film is a real nail-biter. The story revolves around the courageous real-life climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, two friends who want to climb the unclimbable Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes.
Unfortunately, things go south when Simpson breaks his leg, forcing Yates to make the toughest call ever. Yates decides to cut the rope connecting them, thinking it’s the only shot for both to make it out alive.
Free Solo
Free Solo is a mind-blowing documentary that captures the jaw-dropping journey of rock climber Alex Honnold. Alex is out to conquer El Capitan, this colossal rock in Yosemite National Park, and that too, without any safety ropes or necessary gear. The documentary peeks into Honnold’s mind, his detailed planning, and how it all disorders his personal life.
The visuals are off the charts for any documentary film, with shots that’ll make your stomach flip as he climbs. The film doesn’t just focus on the physical challenges but also the obsession with taking risks and aiming for greatness.
Vertical Limit
The movie tells the story of Peter Garrett, who takes on a risky rescue mission on the daunting peaks of K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth, to save his sister, Annie, and a dozen other climbers.
For this, Peter gathers a team of misfit mountaineers and a grieving widow named Montgomery Wick, whose wife died from hypothermia on the same mountain. Talking about the themes, the film explores the values of family and friendship, along with the tough reality of climbing mighty mountains.
Everest
Everest is a heartbreaking, true story of both tragedy and triumph. The film gives you a front-row seat to the true story of the Mount Everest disaster in year the1996. Two groups, one led by Scott Fischer, and the other by, Rob Hall aim to ascent to the tippy-top of the world.
As they start their climb, they run into Merciless weather, low oxygen, freezing cold, and the infamous Khumbu Icefall. Everest shows you just how much both the body and the heart can take in the world of high-altitude mountaineering.
Meru
Meru is another hour-long documentary about three daring climbers, namely Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk. The trip tries to conquer the Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru in the Indian Himalayas. For those who don’t know, Shark Fin is the Everest of tough mountains.
The film entirely revolves around these climbers, who they are, how determined they are, and all the challenges they face on their way up. Meru is, undoubtedly a top-tier documentary about mountaineering. The cinematography and stories are superb and will make you feel like a fly on the wall listening to Conrad, Jimmy, and Rennan recount their stories.
Cliffhanger
Cliffhanger is a heart-pounding action-adventure directed by Renny Harlin, starring Sylvester Stallone as Gabe Walker. Gabe is a retired mountain range who unwillingly finds himself in the center of a high-stakes heist in the Rocky Mountains.
When a mid-air heist goes awry, Gabe ends up helping the crooks look for their lost loot in dangerous mountain spots, where one wrong step will plummet you to certain death. Without a doubt, one of the most satisfying action movies of all time and a top contender for the finest action film of all time. Too bad, this film was greatly underappreciated.
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Even though this film doesn’t involve any actual climb or avalanche and other dangers associated with scaling mountains, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain deserves to make the list.
It is a charming British rom-com with Hugh Grant walking in the shoes of Reginald Anson, a cartographer (the one who makes maps) sent to measure a Welsh mountain during the First World War. When Anson decides it’s not quite tall enough to be called a mountain, the locals come up with a genius yet outrageous plan to make it appear so.
Poorna
Poorna isn’t just a film; it’s a love letter to the unbreakable human spirit. Directed by Rahul Bose, the film shares the true story of Poorna Malavath, a girl from Telangana, India. At just 13, she becomes the youngest girl ever to reach the top of Mount Everest.
The movie pursues Poorna as she faces both societal and financial problems to bring her dream of conquering the world’s highest peak to fruition. It’s a touching story of Poorna’s fiery will, who, with her never-give-up attitude, proved to the world that a young girl can break through barriers and achieve something incredible.
Death on Matterhorn
Every climber, be it amateur or professional, knows that the Matterhorn, nestled between the scenic Alps, is among the most difficult peaks on the planet to scale. Roughly 150 years ago, it was capsized. In 1865, two competing teams from Britain and Italy were competing for first place.
Tragically, four climbers were killed, turning the victory of the Britishers into a crushing defeat. Members of the climbing party that made it back trying to figure out what exactly went awry, but it wasn’t a walk in the park.
There we have it, our list of 10 best movies about mountaineering. What do you think about our picks? Did one of your favourites make the list? Let us know in the comments below!