North Face (2008)

Given that we've reviewed a movie about Nazis in the snow and a movie about mountain climbing, I figured it only right to review a movie about Nazis in the snow climbing a mountain.

The 2008 German film North Face recounts the 1936 attempt to summit the Eiger via its north face, one of the deadliest routes in the world having accounted for 64 deaths since 1935. The narrative arc follows a pair of German climbers disillusioned with the political climate surrounding Nazism and more intent on honing their mountaineering skills as they compete against a pair of Austrians with similar aspirations for conquering the indomitable Swiss peak. All the while, a reporter from Berlin (Ulrich Tukur, notable for his role as Grubitz in the highly recommended The Lives of Others) propagandizes their climb as exemplary of German athletic prowess. A young photographer accompanies the reporter, and acts as a love interest throughout the film for one of the climbers. Once the climbers’ ascent begins they face a series of challenges and setbacks, dooming them to face the harsh weather and unforgiving landscape of the Eiger.

Nazi Bromance.

For a film about a mountain, North Face is unfortunately flat. Nearly every element feels contrived, injected into the plot line as an arbitrary means of heightening the drama and inevitably distracting from the excitement of the historical reality. The direction was thrilling and visceral, enveloping the viewer in the Eiger’s erratic weather and terrifying beauty, while the script faltered along, barely able to conjure any empathy for the characters. The romance between climber Toni and photographer Luise remained unsubstantiated and thoroughly uninteresting from beginning to end. The soundtrack kept making me think I was watching a Michael Bay film. Tukur stands out as the only memorable performance. I would recommend North Face purely for the sake of its adventure, though it never quite achieves what appeared to be a potential for greatness.