Touching the Void

Beautiful scenery and excellent cinematography highlight this true-life story of two young adventurers who, in 1985, attempt to be the first climbers to reach the top of imposing Siula Grande, in Peru. The two actual climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, narrate the story, while two stand-in actors re-enact the climbing.

A big part of the film is Joe's quest merely to survive, once he becomes separated from Simon. Toward this objective, he calls forth inner strength in the form of two mental processes: first, make a decision and then act on it; second, set small goals or targets. During his ordeal a part of him keeps pushing: "You have to do this, this, and this, if you're going to get there; come on, keep moving, keep moving; right, get up, and do it again".

In a docudrama like this, acting ability is not that important. What is important is the cinematography. The mountain scenery is spectacular. The camera also captures visual perspective, by backing away from the two climbers, or Joe alone in the second half, to reveal how small and insignificant they are against the towering mountain face, or lost within the vast expanse of a huge glacier, peppered with a maze of dangerous crevasses.

The story is certainly harrowing. And I admire how Joe kept going, in the face of such adversity. However, I must say that overall I was not impressed with Simpson or Yates, both of whom came across in the film and in the DVD special features as overly ambitious, opportunistic, and egotistical. Joe as much as admits it: "We didn't give a damn about anyone else or anything else, and we just wanted to climb the world ..." This kind of cavalier attitude is not uncommon among participants in extreme sports, many of whom participate less for the adventure than for the opportunity to set records and make money.

"Touching The Void" is a great story of survival set amid the majestic splendor of the mountains of Peru. The only thing that would have made the story even better is if the two actual climbers had not been so arrogant. Overconfidence, born of an inflated sense of self-importance, almost cost them their lives.

The story of what happens when two British climbers try to reach the top of a previous unclimbed mountain is one of the most spellbinding films in years. A hybrid of talking heads and re-enactments this movie is one of the best films (on mountain climbing) ever made. You'll forgive me but its hard not to speak in terms like, best, greatest, ect when you talk about this film. I think its all best summed up by the term, "WOW!!!"

I can only imagine what this would be like on a big screen, where the sense of scale would be overwhelming. Not having been able to see this on a big screen I've had to make due with the DVD, which contains an extra called "What happened next..." which is what you'll want to know once the credits start to roll.

My only complaint, and its a small one, is that the pace of the second half could be a bit tighter, other wise this is simply a great great movie.

9 out of 10.

There are exceptions, but mountaineering movies fall roughly into two classes; overblown, unrealistic cliffhanging (in more than one sense) dramas ('Eiger Sanction', 'K2', 'Cliffhanger', 'Vertical Limit') and rather trite descriptive documentaries often seen as padding for the 'National Geographic' channel schedules, although Jon Krakaur's 'Into Thin Air' managed to combine the worst of both worlds. Both classes have in common (usually) Gortex gear, superb mountain scenery and splendid cinematography. What distinguishes this survival story is that it has (sorry about this) high drama, an understated style and absolute authenticity. The actual principals, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, and Richard Hawkins the non-climber base camp minder, narrate their story as it is re-enacted, partly at the original site in Peru (though some filming was done in the European Alps), while actors (with very few lines to say) re-enact the saga of the Siula West Face climb. It all hangs together beautifully; and I was rapt from go to whoa. My disbelief was entirely suspended.

Even documentaries are stories rather than fact (whatever that is) and this story is superbly told, for which director Kevin Macdonald can take full credit, though perhaps one should also thank Simon Yates and Joe Simpson for telling us their stories. One critic has taken the director to task in not dwelling on the moral issues involved – the cutting the rope bit. No mountaineering drama is without one of these but here it actually happened. That critic has missed the point – the approach here is 'be your own judge'.

This film manages to appeal both to mountaineers (a small but highly critical audience) and non-mountaineers. As a (semi-retired) and undistinguished member of the former group, I found few nits to pick, though a more extended explanation of the difference between Alpine-style and Expedition climbing would help to show non-mountaineers that it wasn't a suicide attempt (though speaking for myself I wouldn't have tried it with less than four in the party). And as the film was about a climb that went wrong, the joy of climbing, which is not easy to explain to non-mountaineers was rather overshadowed by Joe's suffering as he dragged himself, leg broken, down the mountain. But never have I seen a more graphic illustration of the adage 'never give up'. Lie down to die and you will die. Joe and the Texan doctor on Everest (see 'Into Thin Air') both should have died, yet they survived. In the doctor's case it seems to have been some primeval instinct (he was not a mountaineer). In Joe's case he seems to have treated survival as a challenge and focused his thoughts accordingly ('I thought, in twenty minutes I'll be at the next rock'). I winced every time his broken leg hit something.

To sum up this is a great film, which will live long in your memory, climber or non-climber.

P.S. Simon was only 20 or so at the time, Joe a more mature 25. Both have kept climbing, though significantly not together.

'Touching the Void' has chosen the right approach to tell the true story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. Two mountaineers who had a lot of bad luck while climbing a certain mountain in the Andes. That they both survive is clear from the beginning since they are telling their own story, looking straight into the camera, the way people explain things in a documentary. Since two actors play Simpson and Yates in a reconstruction of their story this is not a documentary completely. The tension that is created due this approach is great. If it was a movie-remake of their story things would seem implausible and unbelievable. It would become a movie like 'Vertical Limit'. If it was all documentary with explaining and maybe showing the mountain from the time to time it would be a great story but boring to watch.

Honestly, the movie had more suspense than most horror movies today. The real Simpson and Yates explain what happens and with perfect visuals the actors Brendan Mackey (Simpson) and Nicholas Aaron (Yates) show us how it must have looked like. There is third character named Richard Hawking who stayed at base camp while Simpson and Yates did their climbing. He is played by Ollie Ryall and of course it is necessary that he is in the reconstruction, but he himself also speaks like the real Simpson and Yates in between. For me he did not add anything to the story and therefore I did not really get his presence.

About the story I will not spoil anything for you, although you must know some things already, but I can say that the events you will see are close to unbelievable. If you are already a little scared of things like climbing, you will definitely not change your mind after seeing this. If you want to see a nice documentary, or a thriller, action, horror, disaster-movie, see 'Touching the Void'.

so i was completely and utterly amazed by my response to this movie... i guess i haven't explored the genre but the two men who survived were so HONEST!... it was refreshing to hear the way they spoke, of secretly wanting to leave the other man to die, but persisting because it was the right and humane thing to do... what courage it takes to admit that!... and to admit that you're stubborn and arrogant... that you were completely broken... it's rare to hear sportsmen talk this way...

and they didn't seem to exude that attitude that non-climbers wouldn't understand, or that they were somehow superior to us ordinary folk (despite joe's self-confessed ego)... some interviews with climbers annoy me, but these guys were amazing...

the sheer emotion they conveyed with the simultaneous reenactments and the articulate commentary was astounding... i was gritting my teeth at the implied pain and frustration and even became somewhat emotional at the reunion...

this documentary has palpable, white-lightning power, and it will remain with you long after you've seen it... it's quite unlike anything i've viewed before...