Auf Messers Schneide - Rivalen am Abgrund

I vaguely remembered The Edge from a trailer on an old VHS from when i was a kid and it would pop in to my brain from time to time over the years as "That Anthony Hopkins bear movie" but i never actually watched it. I just picked it up today on DVD and i really enjoyed it. It's well acted, has satisfying plot twists and the scenery is beautiful to look at. It starts off a little slow but once the pace picked up i was on the edge of my seat during the scenes where the characters have to fight for their lives against a massive man eating bear and it looks great as a real trained bear was used in the scenes. Another thing i liked was the story and action felt more grounded and based in reality, it was exciting but no one did anything which regular humans wouldn't be able to do and it made it seem more realistic and convincing. Highly recommended if you're looking for some old overlooked movies or something a little different, it's a good time.

I enjoyed this film the first time I saw it and purchased it solely for the Hopkins character. The more I watch it, the poorer The Edge seems overall, and the more impressed I am with Mr. Hopkin's character and his performance.

I do have to agree about the Lit. 101 symbolism. It struck me that Mamet probably saw the Indian paddle or some similar trinket and based the entire screenplay on the idea this gave him. I suppose that's OK, if rather conventional.

The film was shot about an hour away from where I lived at the time, so I'm biased in that regard. But it is an incredibly beautiful area in Alberta.

Though I hate it when people say this, I do like the Hopkin's character because I can identify with him in some ways. His ability to maintain his humanity throughout all of his trials, natural and relational, is inspiring, and in my view, well worth taking the time to watch. His performance carries this otherwise ho-hum movie.

A billionaire, his younger "supermodel" wife, and her photography crew travel by plane to the north wilderness for a photo shoot.

While Charles (the billionaire), Stephen (the photographer), and his assistant are out scouting for new shooting locations in the plane, the run into a flock of birds and crash in vast wilderness more than dozens of miles away from the rest of the party (right in the middle of bear country). Can they survive in the wilderness long enough to get rescued, or will the have to fight what the wilderness has in store for them?

This is a great, edge of your seat thriller from the late 90s. I'd give it a 7.2 rating.

'The Edge' Directed by Lee Tamahori, is An Interesting Survival Drama, that is served with a consistent pace & effective performances. Its never razor-sharp, but it holds you for the most of it.

'The Edge' Synopsis: An intellectual billionaire and two lesser men struggle to band together and survive after getting stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with a blood-thirsty Kodiak Bear hunting them down.

'The Edge' is about two men fighting it out in the Wilderness. The Bear, of course in the main antagonist, but 'The Edge' is more about the fight between its two strong leading men & how they are as unpredictable & fierce as the Bear. I was engrossed for the most part. The only glitch, lies in its final-act, which drags on for a bit.

David Mamet's Screenplay is interesting & successfully captures the violent & unpredictable journey of two strong men. Lee Tamahori's Direction is excellent. Donald McAlpine Cinematography's is a sheer delight. 'The Edge' is a visual marvel, as it captures the wilderness & the beauty of it, without ever looking overdone. The Late/Great Neil Travis's Editing is well-done. Art & Costume Design are superb. Make-Up merits a special mention.

Performance-Wise: Sir Anthony Hopkins & Alec Baldwin are in great from. Hopkins excels as the billionaire with a strong will to survive, while Baldwin oozes subtle menace as well as induces some nice comic touches. Both of the terrific actors work superbly here. And of course Bart the Bear, who's contribution here is tremendous. R.I.P, dear Bart.

On the whole, 'The Edge' is definitely worth watching.

Anthony Hopkins plays billionaire Charles Morse, a bookish man who is married to a much younger woman(played by Elle McPherson) who is coveted by her photographer(Alec Baldwin) The two men, as well as an assistant(played by Harold Perrineau) are flown into a remote location in the Alaskan wilderness, when they are struck by a flock of birds, causing them to crash in the lake, killing the pilot, and placing the three survivors in a life and death struggle with not only the harsh elements, but a huge Kodiak bear that smells blood...

Harrowing adventure drama from writer David Mamet is well directed by Lee Tamahori and acted by the leads, especially Anthony Hopkins, whose transformation from bookish introvert to determined survivalist is believable(they're not mutually exclusive anyway!) Relationship among the men is a bit muddled, especially after the climax, but solid thriller is also compelling and frightening.

Not a film for people with a fear of bears...