Good start, but then it gets ruined

Expected more

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

There have been times that Werner Herzog stood for quality films. Is this time long past? To my taste Scream of Stone is a terrible bore: soap-like acting with a cliché deep-voice performance of Sutherland, a cliché thin story based on the cliché opposition of intuitive versus experienced climbers, a failure to attain the cliché excitement of cliffhangers even even when the cliffs are at their steepest. Once more: a terrible bore!

I must say that I'm little disappointed after watching this movie. It's not this way because I've heard so much about it earlier. It's more like, Werner is trying to do His best because the industry is watching and He wants to show Hollywood His best (this one is even English, not German spoken film).Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. I've seen it few minutes ago (it's 7:54 am, 20/5/2002) and I consider this picture as one of Herzog's worse creations/works (from what I've seen so far). Why is it so? Well..Firstly I do miss quotes! I cannot forgive this one! I love'em. Quote at the beginning of "The Mystery Of Kaspar Hauser", quote at the end of "Woyzeck"... These are just unforgettable. Here We've got none of this sort.Second issue is this constant lack of feeling, feeling like "are We there.? Is it a dream?"... I personally caught myself few times changing into a daydreamer while watching "Aguirre Der Zorn Gottes" or "Herz Aus Gold" and believe my I am not addicted to drugs ;). Next case here is baddish script (I mean it). After all I gave "Cerro Torre..." 6/10. You may ask why... Well.. again: Donald Sutherland may wake You up if You fell asleep. There's one scene with cigarette (very short, but kept in lively manner) I really like. In my opinion Herzog doesn't focus on the main guy in the story as he did in His previous pictures. Shame on Him! :) This guy isn't bad at all, and PLEASE all of You... do me a favour ... Try to imagine that Kinski plays Roccia,okay? thanks. Mentioning actors, I cannot forget about Brad Dourif.. You'll love this fella. You could see Him in: "One flew over cuckoo's nest" for instance. What Herzog is doing with camera is His business, but I preferred when it was more static, showing more landscapes... etc. We saw it during "Aguirre", "Fitzcarraldo"... Well ! mr Herzog! these are mountains ... shouldn't We watch'em some more, instead of some naked bodies? Sounds coming from the screen are not those of heart-shaking type. One last thing, I believe. You liked it the way Werner put some music here, some music there in "Woyzeck"? Well forget about it... CONCLUSION is: That's not the step forwards, it's .. oops! I don't know exactly where I am, Klaus Kinski is dead (Great Man) and I feel like I must do something completely different. Hello? Is it Hollywood? I'm sorry I'm lost. I must have dialed the wrong number...

Herzog succeeds to show simultaneously several issues related to climbing.The issue of the spectator: he is rather driven by roman circus spirit than by olympic ideals. The issues of the media: if there is an audience, there is money. The issues of the climbers: they are described as a king of athlete driven by a competitive spirit which allow betting its own life to reach a summit. The outdoors views of the famous Cerro Torre are beautiful and rare.Some spectators might feel bored by the way the film is conducted. Actually, this conduction reminds some Nouvelle Vague issues and many spectators felt bored by films directed by monsters of the Nouvelle Vague like Antonioni, Goddard etc... C'est la vie.Yet, Cerro Torre: Schrei aus Stein deserves to be seen by those who appreciate Herzog cinema.

"Scream of Stone" tells of a happenstance competition between a mountain climber and a rock climber to see who is first to the top of a foreboding 3000 ft needle of rock and ice in Patagonia, South America. As with most Herzog flicks, the film is rough hewn and one can imagine the filming crew is having more of an adventure than the characters. Plodding, dull at times, and subpar on most counts the film does feature some good climbing scenes. Pass on this one unless you're into climbing.