Mountain

Eye-popping visuals are the chief selling point of Jennifer Peedom’s documentary celebrating the majesty of high peaks while expressing healthy skepticism about human impact on mountains. Willem Dafoe narrates, drawing from Robert Macfarlane’s ruminative 2003 book Mountains of the Mind, backed by original music from the Australian Chamber Orchestra and excerpts from works by various classical composers. After some establishing shots of rock-climbers scaling sheer cliffs, the film notes that until the last century, mountains were considered dangerous obstacles to be avoided. In the early 1900s attitudes changed, with the challenge of conquering the peaks beckoning adventurers. Tourists followed, indulging in sports such as skiing, snowboarding, mountain bicycling, and flying in wingsuits. Others tested themselves with feats like tightrope-walking from peak to peak in a dare against death. Scenes of climbers who form long lines at Everest are contrasted with shots of life in a serene mountaintop monastery to emphasize how the environment is being altered for the worse by human activity. Featuring extraordinary footage credited to scores of cameramen shooting across the globe, Mountain is definitely a visually exciting experience. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a Q&A with writer Robert Macfarlane and mountaineer Matthew Dieumegard-Thornton (35 min.), a “making-of” featurette (25 min.), and an interview with director Jennifer Peedom (11 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for a beautifully-filmed documentary.] (F. Swietek)