Meru, Real and Gutwrenching

The North Face Meru Expedition, 2011

MERU poster 1

 

Sliding into a release slot the film Meru, a breathtaking mountain climbing documentary, takes center stage only 14 days before the opening of the movie Everest. The exciting action adventure uses cameras to record the actual events that took place in attempts to scale the over 4 miles high virgin peak of Meru in Gharwal Himalayas. Many experienced mountaineers tried to reach the summit called “Shark Fin”, but failed. Filmed in real time this is the true story of three determined climbers who just wouldn’t let the mountain defeat them.

Three men Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk faced off against one of the tallest and toughest mountains in the world. Anker, one of the top climbers in the world, has reached nearly every peak including Everest. His one dream however, to get to the top of a mountain peak that no one has ever conquered.

The North Face Meru Expedition, 2011 with Conrad Anker looking at the sun going down
The North Face Meru Expedition, 2011 with Conrad Anker looking at the sun going down

Anker assembles a crack team made up of fearless climbers. Renan Ozturk can climb free solo. Alone and without ropes, clamps and hooks he can scale the likes of “Six Shooter” a sheer smooth rock-mountain in western United States. Jimmy Chin completes the team and even films all the action of the climbing and conditions. He’s a top climber and skier and was the first person to ski from the summit of Mt. Everest.

Meru Expedition, Garwhal, India with Jimmy Chin scaling a snowy face
Meru Expedition, Garwhal, India with Jimmy Chin scaling a snowy face

Anker tried getting to the top of Meru’s in 2003, but failed. The film starts with his second attempt in 2006 after handpicking his team. With temperatures way below freezing, a mountain that takes many skills to climb and a granite face near the top nicknamed “Shark Fin” for its slick granite surface, the men give their all in the dangerous climb. But, that’s not the whole story as a third attempt would be needed and under the most unthinkable conditions.

Renan Ozturk looking good during the long descent descent from the summit back to the portaledge camp after 17 hours on the move.
Renan Ozturk looking good during the long descent descent from the summit back to the portaledge camp after 17 hours on the move.

Narrating and supporting the film Jon Krakauer, author of “Into the Air” and an experienced mountaineer himself, adds the commentary of how dangerous it is to climb Meru’s “Shark Fin”. His credentials are impeccable having climbed Mt. Everest and other difficult peaks. His book “Into the Air” chronicles events leading to the disaster on Everest in 1996 the calamity in the upcoming film. When he describes the methods needed to climb Meru he includes statements like “you can’t be just an ice climber, you can’t just be good at altitude and you can’t be just a rock climber. You have to be able to ice climb, mix climb, big wall climb all at 20,000 feet. It’s all that stuff wrapped into one package.”

The North Face Meru Expedition, 2011 a shot of Jimmy Chin
The North Face Meru Expedition, 2011 a shot of Jimmy Chin looking down the steep face

The film gets personal showing support, fear and hope from family, wives and friends. Personal tragedies are part of the film as well taking viewers to the site where a major accident nearly took the life of one of the team. Surviving avalanches, falls and frost bite the film holds nothing back presenting failures along with victories.

The cinematography is breathtaking shot from the cameras of Jimmy Chin as he climbs Meru. Directing some intricate shots of the three on the side of cliffs, the devastating effects of the cold and the exhaustion of his fellow climbers the real life video gets very gut wrenching as they press on. It may not be a huge special effects production using GGI like you may see in the upcoming movie Everest, but here you’ll get excellent high definition from Digital cameras and it’s the real thing from one of the team who lived the experience.

https://youtu.be/TW5bZU4wkTU

Meru has been rated R for language. It also includes extreme peril, accidental death and terror with actual shots of extreme weather and avalanches. The film may not be the kind of adventure like the recreation of the film Everest, but they each have their own story and action sequences to give.

FINAL ANALYSIS: An excellent film that brings the audience face to face with reality. (A)

Additional Film Information:
Cast: Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk, with Jon Krakauer, Amber Hinkley, Grace Chin and Jeremy Jones
Directed by: Jimmy Chin
Genre: Documentary, Sports, Mountain Climbing, Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: R for language
Running Time: 1 hr. 27 min.
Release Date: September 11, 2015
Distributed by: Music Box Films

Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com