At the time, the German government was keen to show their national dominance and strength in every way possible. So the idea was pushed that it should be a German tandem to be the first to scale "the last problem of the Alps". Enter Andreas Hinterstoisser and Toni Kurz, two non-political soldiers(they barely acknowledge every "Hail Hitler!" thrown their way) in the German army and arguably the two best climbers in the country. But they had no intention of taking on the Eiger. Too dangerous. Too icy. Too many had died trying. Move on, climb something else. That is until Kurz's old flame, Luise(Joanna Wokalek) turns up out of nowhere to do a story on the pair. She assumes they'll be taking on the Eiger, but is surprised to find out they've backed out. So thanks to her obvious disappointment, Kurz is shamed into the dangerous mission.
Those who aren't familiar with the reality of their journey needn't worry.For me, who gets a bit shaky just going up the extra high escalator at the Metro, mountain climbing is something that finds home in my worst nightmares. Strangely, it's this fear that has made me more interested in the history of failed quests like this. So I walked into North Face knowing the outcome, and yet I was still riveted. Director Philipp Stölzl plays a bit loose with all the facts, injecting a love story that manages to make an already fascinating story heartbreaking, as Luise watches helplessly from afar as her love suffers the ravages of the icy mountaintop.
The snowcapped scenery lends itself to some gorgeous cinematography. The mountain lurks ominously in the background of every scene. From the ground, in the swanky Bellevue hotel where the guests watching the treacherous climb stay, the Eiger looks like a welcoming tourist attraction. Intercut with these scenes are the stark reality, jagged ice covered edges, and blustering winds that cut like razor blades. Every shot, every moment is intense and exhaustive. I felt like I had been on that mountain with them by the end.
It's rare that any film manages to maintain such a high level of tension, but North Face does it. It's obvious how this is going to play out, but none of that ever matters. Without a doubt the most gripping, intensive mountain climbing film I've seen, and one of the best of the year. Check it out for yourself. Maybe it'll take your breath away, too.
