The Wildest Dream: movie review

When asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, George Mallory famously replied: “Because it’s there.”

These days, climbing Mt. Everest might not seem like such a big deal but back in the day its conquest was regarded as, literally, the summit of heroic achievement. Mallory, along with his climbing partner Andrew Irvine, died in 1924 on the cusp of Everest, and his body remained missing until 1999, when climber Conrad Anker discovered the remarkably intact remains at a lower position on the mountain, leading him to believe that Mallory had indeed made it to the top and had been on his way down when he died.

To prove his point, Anker and his crew attempt to scale Everest using turn-of-the-century equipment – hobnailed boots, big overcoats, etc. It’s all a bit hokey, though the mountaineering footage is often spectacular. Grade: B (Rated PG for thematic elements involving hardships of climbing and some historical images of smoking.)

More movie reviews