Les Roches Maudites

To be honest, I was expecting Killer Mountain to be much worse than it was. It was far from a great movie, and was forgettable at the end of the day, compared to the cheaply made terribly acted and scripted wastes of time that are usually associated with SyFy originals it was tolerable. It is much less cheap than I thought it would be visually, the scenery and photography do look dark and cold, and actually attempts to evoke some sort of atmosphere, and the CGI effects while not mind-blowing actually look as though effort was made into constructing them. The acting is likewise not extraordinary but is decent, particularly the female lead, and while I think more could have been done with a clearer definition of what it was and how it came to be, the monster was more than okay in design and did exude some menace. But sadly here come the problems. While Killer Mountain is not a terrible movie, there is never really anything thrilling about it either. The story too often is sloppy and predictable, with some exposition bits that could have been shortened or cut easily, with no real sense of suspense or dread with the killings. The script is nothing memorable and feels rather bland and aimless at times, and the characters are no different from the usual stereotypical and uninteresting characters you find more often than not with SyFy's resume. All in all, forgettable but watchable enough. 4/10 Bethany Cox

Yeah, that this is a bad movie will surprise nobody. But at least it's the first film I've seen which has been set in Bhutan, although given the nature of the production the place is interchangeable with any oppressive Asian country.

The story mixes mountaineering with monsters, to a somewhat muted effect. The problem with KILLER MOUNTAIN is that it has no sense of style, no real direction to give it spark or emphasis. It's supposed to be thrilling and scary, and yet it's neither; at no time do we feel for or empathise with the characters or care about their plight.

It's also a low budget B-movie saddled with some truly lame CGI effects, including the return of the dreaded CGI helicopter. The story sees a rescue party set out to aid some missing mountaineers, but before long there are some nasty CGI creatures thrown into the mix. They're mostly shown in near-complete darkness, because the effects really are that bad. The producers can't even add a Lance Henriksen or John Rhys-Davies into the mix, so there's nothing here for anyone.

Stunning visual effects and scenes of intense adventure highlight Sheldon Wilson's Killer Mountain. An exciting saga of mountain climbing and brutal survival, this is horror film with strong characters and a magnificent story to tell. Among the stunning vistas of mighty mountains stand a group of individuals called upon to meet the greatest challenges any group of intrepid explorers may have ever faced. Their skills and character are truly put to the test, especially when it becomes quite clear that it is not the mountain alone they are confronting. Haunting scenes of an icy hell, veiled in mystery and a dark terror, will keep audiences spellbound in this sterling adventure. Fine performances from a terrific cast add to the cinematic quality and give us people we really care about as they struggle to conquer the unknown. The influence of Everest and Howard Hawks' original The Thing are clearly seen throughout and the director's reverence for these sources is well integrated in the experience.

In a flashback to 1954 Bhutan, a Himalayan mountain group suffers though terrifying tragedy. It looks like a man is sucked into a black hole, but this is incorrect; rewinding, this is actually our first look at one of the movie's monsters. Presently, another crew has followed this 1954 group up the mountain. They have been lost for four weeks. Colorado climbing school teacher Aaron Douglas (as Ward Donovan) is asked to lead a rescue expedition. The expert climber declines as he has retired and put on a little weight. However, wealthy financier Andrew Airlie (as Walter Burton) persuades Mr. Douglas to change his mind, after noting that Douglas's ex-girlfriend Emmanuelle Vaugier (as Kate Pratt) is among the missing...

Accompanying Douglas on his rescue crew are handsome young Torrance Coombs (as Chance) and sexy doctor Crystal Lowe (as Nina Preston). Mysteriously popping pills, Mr. Airlie manages to include his wise-guy son Paul Campbell (as Tyler). They have ulterior motives. A lot of "Killer Mountain" doesn't make a lot of sense, but it manages to surprise you, just a little. After a laborious amount of running time, there are some good low-budget action. Sheldon Wilson and Peter Sullivan also score with star Douglas – note how he taps his stomach when initially declining to go on the expedition – and a few of his sporting players. Especially noteworthy is the interplay between the co-stars.

***** Killer Mountain (8/27/11) Sheldon Wilson ~ Aaron Douglas, Torrance Coombs, Paul Campbell, Emmanuelle Vaugier

A group of mountain climbers are sent after a previous group of mountain climbers that did not successfully reach the peak of their mountain in Bhutan. What stopped them? What lies waiting at the top?

I hate to say it, but this is not SyFy's worst film. While not amazingly good by any stretch of the imagination, it has one thing going for it: lots of human drama and relatively little computer animation. Someone finally took the time to write a script where people matter and are not just decoration or background. Sure, some of it makes no sense, but that is par for the course.

Not saying I am recommending this to anyone... just want to say that SyFy actually has it in them to make good films.