Touching the Void

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Touching the Void

R,

2003,

1h 47m,

Adventure/

Drama/

Documentary

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Watchlist

93%

133 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

133 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. They succeed, and the two embark on the treacherous descent down the mountain — only to meet with disaster when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson's likely death.

Critics Consensus

Gripping even though the outcome is known.

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Sheila Norman-Culp

Associated Press

Jan 23, 2019

In the right hands, a docudrama can deliver all the excitement, emotion and storytelling of the very best feature films -- and director Kevin Macdonald has done that with startling clarity in the mountaineering adventure Touching the Void.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 29, 2010

4/5

Excruciatingly tense story of a terrible accident.

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Mar 26, 2007

Touching the Void leaves you emotionally and physically spent, and grateful it was only a movie, not a mountain, you had to endure.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Nov 4, 2010

4/4

"Void" plummets into the nucleus of instinct and consciousness - survival a near-primordial pursuit beyond bravery or weakness. It concocts no comfort about what was gained, but stares in transfixed, unforgettable awe at the horror of all that was lost.

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Aug 9, 2009

A+

"Touching the Void" towers above the rest of that rarest of all film genres, the docudrama.

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Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Aug 7, 2008

5/5

This harrowing, white-knuckle tale of human endurance and gut-wrenching dilemma mingles the dramatization of these events and interviews with both climbers into an unforgettable, sometimes comically deadpan nightmare.

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George S

Apr 3, 2019

Touching the Void is a gripping docudrama that slowly builds into a tale of human endeavor, friendship and what it is like to face death. This one chills the soul, but warms the heart. A story that towers above the rest.

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Hagrid S

Oct 13, 2017

14/10/17 An intense remake of a mountaineering adventure that goes horribly wrong.

Ron M

Jul 3, 2017

A captivating docudrama that really emphasizes the sceneries and tough situations to resonate emotionally a little, while generally a gripping survival tale that was accomplished with accurate realism. It started out as an atmospheric, trippy demonstration to maximize the reduced aura of the dangerous hobby to a difficult personal story on both ascension and descension with sorrowful results when hope and faith gets tested. (B+) (Full review TBD)

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Han R

Feb 20, 2017

A bit tedious after a while with the same bloke telling you he was going to die when he quite clearly hadn't

George P

Jan 27, 2017

Superb film on mountaineering. Chilling!

Hermione S

Jan 26, 2017

Great true story film/documentary. Felt the same climbing Ben Nevis :)

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Kevin Macdonald

Director

Brendan Mackey

Joe Simpson

Nicholas Aaron

Simon Yates

Richard Hawking

Self

Joe Simpson

Self

Simon Yates

Self

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Synopsis

In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. They succeed, and the two embark on the treacherous descent down the mountain — only to meet with disaster when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson's likely death.

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Producer: John Smithson
Screenwriter: Joe Simpson
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: FilmFour, UK Film Council, Darlow Smithson Productions
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Documentary
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 5, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.6M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround

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