A Lonely Place to Die

If you were starting to think that mountain climbing might be for safe enough for you along comes A Lonely Place to Die to convince you otherwise. What starts out feeling like a tense if familiar man against the mountain flick becomes so much more more. When I first sat down to watch this Fantastic Fest entry I'd only intended to watch the first 15 minutes or so and then straight to bed to rest my cold. But that plan was blown to heck minutes in. There was no way I was voluntarily walking away from this thrill ride. Before reading further I'd suggest putting this on your checklists of films to see if the opportunity presents itself.

The picture starts with three climbers ascending a terrifyingly sheer cliff. At least to a wimp such as myself.  I'm not entirely sure how the climbing scenes were filmed. But the dynamic and zooming camera work gives an intensely dramatic sense of scale to the climbing events. Making nature just as much a character as the people involved throughout the course of the film. The opening sequence pounds in that the land is not to be trifled with. As a momentary lapse of judgment almost kills two-thirds of the party. Setting the tone that danger is around every corner.

The three ascend to a rental cottage where they meet up with another couple who've left their child in the care of grandparents to join the outing. After a night of socializing they awake to set out for the day's climb. Unexpected weather changes their intended destination slightly. Randomness that results in a chain of events that are deadly for many of the team. And as remarked upon by one of the climbers, not necessarily to the positiveness of those that they try to help.

Hiking towards their day's destination the group makes a horrible discovery. A young girl trapped in an underground cell. She doesn't speak English and she's been there a while. Seeking to find help as quickly as possible but constrained by the girl's pace the group decides to take alternate paths for help. But of course someone put her in that box. And it wasn't the mountain. Meaning everyone is suddenly facing a far more dangerous vacation than they signed up for.

I'm going to stop there to avoid giving away any more away. This is a really well put together effort that keeps the tension high throughout the film. Not to mention delivering a storyline that while horrific makes a good amount of logical sense. The picture kept me wondering to the end what the outcome would be. Acting is solid, the dialog realistic and the characters well drawn enough to care. Development of the team isn't super deep but enough for the choices and sacrifices they make for each other to feel right. And there's more than enough to emotionally bond with to enjoy one of the more satisfying shoves in my recent cinematic memory. It's worth saying once more that the outdoor photography really was breathtaking.

In short, worth the time. And the adrenaline crash afterward.