Jake Freeman

EVEREST

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It has become an obsession. For almost a century, people across around the world have sought to bring more adventure into their everyday lives by attempting to climb the highest and most dangerous place on Earth: Mount Everest. In 1953, two British mountaineers were the first to climb the peak of Everest.

Since then, it has attracted thousands to achieve the same, including Erik Weihenmayerthe, the only blind person to reach the summit of Everest. 

However, disaster has been astronomical. More than 250 lives have died trying to climb it. One of the deadliest incidents in its recorded history was in May 1996 when twelve people were caught in a blizzard and died while climbing the mountain. That story is now in cinemas: Everest.

Directed by Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur and with an ensemble cast that includes Jason Clarke, Sam Worthington and Jake Gyllenhaal,EVEREST follows the incredible journey of two different expedition groups challenged beyond their limits by one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered while climbing the tallest mountain that nature has ever created.

Australia’s Jason Clarke plays Rob Hall, the New Zealander mountaineer whose business is to attract amateurs willing to attempt the amazing feat of scaling Everest. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Scott Fisher, his business competitor. The film also focuses on some of their clients such as the Texan Beck Weathers (Josh Brolin) and mailman Doug Hansen (John Hawkes) who wanted to prove to his children that ordinary people can achieve great things in life.

Keira Knightley plays Rob Hall’s wife Jan, who is pregnant with their first child, a daughter, as in real life at the time. She frequently worries about her husband and whether he would be home in time for the birth of their first child.

Prior to the film’s screening, there was a short introduction by an Australian mountaineer, sharing his experiences of being a professional climber and ascending up Mount Everest. His advice: no matter how fit or how much training once does, nothing can prepare you for something like Everest.

This movie makes you wonder if taking up such a mountainous challenge is such a good idea!

EVEREST is screening in cinemas now.

Published by Jake Freeman

Jake Freeman is a junior administration assistant, editor, camera operator and filmmaker. Jake has previously completed his studies in Film and Television at the Northern Melbourne Institute of Tafe (NMIT) and in Business Administration at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). During his business studies Jake co-managed and hosted a major fundraising event as part of his course assessment that raised over $1000 with guest speakers from the The Big Issue and The Oaktree Foundation in attendance. He has worked for Channel 31, SYN Media and RMITV in various roles such as camera operator, editor and director. Jake has recently been writing and performing stand-up comedy in various Melbourne venues.