Infinite Storm

For those of us returning to cinemas post-pandemic, this was a visual joy: wide-screen snowy mountains, a looming and belting storm, an engaging out-doors woman. Be prepared to suspend disbelief, as this search-and-rescue person shows poor judgement and sets off seemingly ill-equipped into a storm, technically un-proficient in doing a self-rescue from a snow well.

Rather over-done rescue sequence of seemingly suicidal man who at times didn't seem worth saving.

Also a notable gaffe as the action was supposed to take place in November, but the times projected on the screen show sunup at 6AM and still light in the sky at 7:30PM, too long a day for that time of year.

Some pardonable melodrama, but still oddly satisfying in the end.

There is a sparseness to the writing which is wonderful. It does not force emotion but gently coaxes. I found the final scene, especially with Billy Howle's story, quite moving. In the end, I felt Pam Bales' story well worth telling. Locations in Slovenia really work.... Ha apparently I have to burn off a few hundred more words for this review to be accepted! So much for sparseness. I will say Naomi Watts does her best work in years and clearly on a difficult shoot. I will make note of the director and watch out for her work in the future. Malgorzata Szumowska! A hard name to forget. Anyway well done Mal!

The story had a lot of potential. I get the theme of the story. But the pace was too slow and not much happens in the story. It was difficult staying focused and keeping my attention which considering I like slow burn movies means even this was too slow for me. I think another reviewer said it best that it needs more content in the story. Naomi Watts is a great actress and that has never been in doubt. But even she couldn't rescue this film.

I see the narrow minded, poorly read, zero imagination, thinking only inside the box, ego centric half wits have come out in droves to flaunt their ignorance. If you posted a review because you've done this climb and the Movie is not accurate, than a) take a hike and b) no one cares. You're better off watching a MasterClass video by that crazy free climbing Alex guy. Or log on to Udemy and sate your appetite for non growth on some pack organization tutorials.

This is a story about perseverance you imbeciles. It's not a how-to on ascending Mt Washington. There's a concept called poetic license that has clearly gone over a lot of heads.

There's a lot going on in this film if you care to look. I like to think that the characters of Pam and John, though real in person, are thematically one person each representing a different side of ourselves. The one that has real fears and feels the pain of life, the other that strives to survive. And the infinite storm is really just the struggles we all face in our inexorable search to make it home.

I'm sure that everyone involved with this project had very good intentions and that the real events in which the story is inspired must have been way more engaging, but the end result is rather dull and unremarkable.

I feel almost guilty to describe such a well intentioned story like boring and not engaging, but unfortunately that's what I felt while watching it.

I kept waiting for a twist or a reveal that would add tension or emotion to an otherwise rather dull story of survival, but it didn't happened.

The fact that "John" acts like an idiot almost all the time didn't help.