unbend_5440

Touching The Void is part Documentary, and part dramatic re-enactment. Real interviews of Joe and Simon are inter-cut with dramatic re-enactments of their disastrous climb. If this had been a straight-up documentary, told by only interviews, it would have been a moving story, but would have lacked something. If it had been a straight-up dramatic movie, with actors and special effects, it would have been thrilling, but still missing some realism. Combining Joe and Simon's first hand story with realistic recreations on location is what this story needed to be told in the most realistic and scary way. The re-enactment was done on location at Siula Grande, with stunt climbers and actors. Watching the story unfold just by seeing the events on film is exciting, but when you're hearing Joe and Simon narrating their thoughts on the actual events at the same time, you can't help but feel genuine terror and concern for them. Take the scene where Joe is hanging over the cliff, ready to die. You know that he did survive, because you're seeing and hearing him talk about it in the movie, but it's his words that ground you in the moment. I've never heard a person talk about what it's like waiting to die, let alone have a visual image to go along with their words. I can honestly say that I was terrified for him, even knowing the outcome. And there are a dozen other scenes that produce the same effect. The majority of this film is made up of hopeless moments. Hearing Joe and Simon tell their story makes you believe it's hopeless, because that's how they actually felt at the time. This movie is very heavy, and almost as draining as an actual mountain descent would be. Touching The Void is as unique, powerful, and terrifying as any film I've seen in years.

I thought it could've been a lot better. I was hoping for Proyas to take it in a Blade Runner or Minority Report direction, and instead it was like a second rate Terminator 3. Plus the 3rd act of I, Robot seemed directly ripped off of Conquest of the Planet Of The Apes. Ever since I saw the trailer I've been concerned that the movie was trying to sell Will Smith "the personality" over an interesting idea for a movie. The fact is, Will Smith was a little too witty. I'm a fan of Will Smith and his wit and comedic timing usually works well, but it was out of place here. This is Will Smith toned down from what he normally does, but he still was just playing Will Smith. The action was okay but not great. I have a feeling that the look of the movie will hurt it in the future. It will one day be in the same category as Soylent Green. A futuristic movie that looks very dated for its time. I don't think movies should make everything look futuristic, but at least make it look less 2004-like. Shia Lebeouf is a good actor and he was funny, but his character strikes me as out of date even for 2004. That mid 90s gangsta-boy thing is over. I give credit to the movie in 2 departments. The visual effects and Sonny the Robot. Although I've seen much better visual effects this year, I have to admit that unlike other movies of this kind, half way through the movie I stopped looking at the Robots as CGI and started seeing them just as Robots. Alex Proyas didn't go over the top trying to sell a visual style and I liked that. The best thing about the movie is Sonny the Robot. He was the one character that kept me interested until the end. Alan Tudyk saved this from being an amateur summer blockbuster. I have some major complaints about the movie, and I'll probably never see it again, but there were enough entertaining moments to partially satisfy me. I'll just say I didn't walk out of the theater hating it. There is one thing that seriously annoyed me. I understand that product placement happens all the time, but could there not have been a more clever product placement than having Will Smith put his shoe up on a table and say...

"Converse, vintage 2004!"

That was way too cheesy.