VERTICAL LIMIT
Feature - 2000 - 119 minutes
STARRING
CHRIS O'DONNELL, ROBIN TUNNEY, SCOTT GLENN, BILL PAXTON, IZABELLA SCORUPCO, NICHOLAS LEA, ALEXANDER SIDDIG and TEMEURA MORRISON
WRITTEN BY ROBERT KING & TERRY HAYES
DIRECTED BY MARTIN CAMPBELL
CHARACTER:
TOM MCLAREN
CHARACTERS STORY:
TOM MCLAREN IS A TWO-TIME EVEREST CHAMPION MOUNTAIN CLIMBER WHO IS HIRED BY ENTREPRENEUR ELLIOT VAUGHN TO LEAD HIM TO THE SUMMIT OF K2. HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LEADER UP THERE, BUT QUICKLY FINDS HIS DECISIONS BEING QUESTIONED. TOM AND THE TEAM PUSH ON AGAINST THE CHANGING WEATHER. AN AVALANCHE COMES DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AND TRAPS TOM, ELLIOT AND ANNIE IN AN ICE-CAVE, TOM IS BADLY INJURED. ANNIE AND ELLIOT ARGUE ABOUT GIVING TOM SOME OF THE DEX, A DRUG WHICH COULD SAVE HIS LIFE. ANNIE FINALLY GIVES TOM THE DEX, SOMETHING WHICH REALLY ANNOYS ELLIOT. I WON'T GIVE AWAY THE ENDING BUT IT'S A MEMORABLE ONE FOR TOM.
THE FILM:
AN EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT ACTION ADVENTURE STORY, VERTICAL LIMIT IS THE HIGH-ADRENALINE TALE OF YOUNG CLIMBER PETER GARRETT (CHRIS O'DONNELL - BATMAN & ROBIN), WHO MUST LAUNCH A TREACHEROUS AND EXTRAORDINARY RESCUE EFFORT UP K2, THE WORLD'S SECOND HIGHEST PEAK.
CONFRONTING BOTH HIS OWN LIMITATIONS AND THE AWESOME POWER OF NATURE'S UNCONTROLLABLE ELEMENTS, PETER RISKS HIS LIFE TO SAVE HIS SISTER (ROBIN TUNNEY - END OF DAYS), AND HER SUMMIT TEAM (BILL PAXTON - TWISTER AND NICHOLAS LEA - TV'S THE X-FILES) IN A RACE AGAINST TIME.
THE REVIEWS:
TOR THORSEN FOR REEL.COM - "With more charisma and the hardened air of a veteran adventurer, Nicholas Lea (best known as Krycek on The X-Files) would've been a superior lead. Too bad his character is wasted, spending 90% of the running time immobilized with shattered ribs."
RENEE REMY FOR CYBEREX - "Nicholas Lea was both believable and charmingly vulnerable as Tom McLaren, a two-time Everest champion and the impending victim of bad guy Elliot Vaughn (Bill Paxton). Lea, best know for his X-Files appearances, has been busy filming 2 other films (Ignition and Lunch With Charles) and hasn't been seen on television yet this season."
JAMES SCOTT FOR FREE-TIMES.COM - "The most realistic and ultimatelly interesting characters are the ones the script spends the least time with, played by Nicholas Lea (hey — isn’t that Agent Krycek from The X-Files?) and Alexander Siddig (hey — isn’t that Dr. Bashir from Deep Space Nine?)."
HAUNT.COM REVIEW - "The more intriguing characters are those trapped in the chasm. Annie Garrett, under the performance of Robin Tunney, has a kick and strength all her own which keeps her pressing on in the face of their impending demise. Nicholas Lea is wonderful as Tom McLaren, the leader-turned-follower who becomes increasingly ill."
LEAFANS REVIEW:
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOVIES THAT PEOPLE EITHER LOVE OR HATE, BUT ONE THINGS FOR SURE, YOU MUST SEE IT AT THE CIMEMA TO FULLY APPRECIATE IT. I PERSONALLY LOVE THIS MOVIE, YOU JUST HAVE TO WATCH IT WITHOUT THINKING TOO MUCH. PEOPLE SAY IT'S FULL OF PLOT HOLES, I'D LIKE TO ARGUE WITH THAT. THE HOLES IT DOES HAVE ARE THERE OPENLY AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, SUCH AS THE USES OF THE DEX, IF YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMENTARY THAT IS ALL EXPLAINED. THE ACTION SEQUENCES ARE STUNNING AND IT NEVER STOPS. NICK LEA'S CHARACTER IS TOTALLY UNDER-USED BUT WHEN WE DO SEE HIM, HE DOES MANAGE TO INTRIGUE. A LOT OF REVIEWS SAY THAT IT IS JUST ANOTHER 'CLIFFHANGER' BUT IN MY OPINION IT COULDN'T BE FURTHER ABOVE THAT MOVIE. JUST DON'T TAKE IT TOO SERIOUSLY AND YOU'LL LOVE IT.
TAGLINES:
HOLD YOUR BREATH
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:
FILMING LOCATIONS:
MOUNT COOK, NEW ZEALAND.
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND.
GENERAL FACTS AND STUFF THAT DOESNT FIT ANYWHERE ELSE:
RELATED LINKS:
OFFICIAL VERTICAL LIMIT SITE (UK VERSION)
RELATED MERCHANDISE:
DVD @ AMAZON.COM
VHS @ AMAZON.COM
MOVIE SOUNDTRACK @ AMAZON.COM
NOVEL @ AMAZON.COM