Good start, but then it gets ruined

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

It's 1985. Richard Hawking, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates journey to the remote Peruvian Andes. Joe and Simon set off to climb the unconquered west face of Siula Grande. They make it to the top but on the way down, Simon is faced with a harrowing decision.This has a compelling real story. The injection of the real people in a movie of reenactment adds a certain realism. The only minor problem is that the real people proves that they survived the incident. However, it doesn't really get into my mind because the story is so engrossing. The climbing footage is great. Director Kevin Macdonald is a skilled documentarian. I don't really recognize the actors but they don't need expert acting skills. This is a harrowing thriller and a compelling documentary.

This movie is if not the best, one of the best that I've ever seen. And I've seen thousands of films in 57 years of life. Some better than others, many only kilometers of film, not to say bad movies. What's more important, a new proof that nothing is accidental, I've seen TOUCHING THE VOID exactly when I needed most to see such a film: in a very difficult period of my own existence here on Earth... This film gives you strength to live, to not let yourself beaten, especially when you're on the brink of death, when you go through the hardships of life and even you try everything, everything is hostile to you. It's not only the best film in the mountain climbing genre, but also one of the best of all possible genres. 10 out of 10.

This highly-praised documentary from Scottish director Kevin Macdonald (THE LAST KING OF Scotland 2006, 8/10, STATE OF PLAY 2009, 6/10), spunkily tackles the most inconceivable survival story in the mountaineering history, narrated by Joe Simpson and Simon Yates in propria persona of their perilous conquest to the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985, while faithfully re-enacts what had happened during the lengthy 168 hours. It is such an incredible and telling story which could eclipses Danny Boyle's 127 HOURS (2010, 8/10), Joe's destiny is as much indebted to his heaven-sent luck as his professional surviving skills and the tenacious willpower of staying alive. The talking-ahead forthrightness from Joe and Simon delineates their adventure in detailed nuance, carefully selected words without any bells and whistles, instantly brings audiences to the locale, we are fairly certain it is a mission impossible to do the copy-cat climbing and abseiling since it is unimaginable to transport a team of crew to accomplish such a chimera, still team Macdonald exerts formidable effort to show us what kind of beast Siula Grande is, a reverential task has been adroitly done and salute to the cameramen, two actors (Mackey and Aaron) and stunts. The natural immenseness, the icy whiteness and the fearsome precipices are soul-engulfing, and the forlornness is overpowering even we all know they all outlive the unthinkable misadventure (I keep imagining in the end of the film, Macdonald would show us a frontal shot of Joe with one leg only or a prosthetic leg). Myself is never an extreme-sports advocate, putting one's own life in jeopardy to pursue some kind of spiritual catharsis or mental orgasm (maybe physically as well) has never been on my agenda, notwithstanding which, the film fortuitously excels its reassuring ode of human strength and reaches a soul-searching incisiveness for every viewer to reflect on our regards of nature and life. When curiosity being satisfied, the film still imprints its indelible mark on the ectoplasm level, great work indeed! The film's 106 minutes running time seems rather short to me, when Joe finally reunites with Simon, the film also soon ends with succinct captions indicating their later life, which inevitably makes me wonder what is their rumination of that accident after the heaven-or-hell experience, I wish the film would be a bit longer to tap into that aspect, it would render us some revelation on a more humanized surface, then it would be an impeccable documentary feature for me. But anyway the film is the new entry of my top 10 BEST PICTURE in 2003, bravo!

I originally wrote this review in Swedish so I hope the translation holds out.Yesterday I saw one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen about two mountaineers who defeats a summit in the Andie's in the mid-80's which still stands undefeated by anyone else. And they almost die trying. Even if you are not as fascinated by mountaineering as I am the film still tells one of the most incredible survival scenarios I have heard of in my life. At the same time during the horror of immediate death some of the most amazing thoughts on all kinds of life questions are running through the climbers mind. Especially fascinating is Joe's take on religion while about to perish in of the most hellish situations I can think of.I strongly recommend this movie to everyone.