Vertical Limit

Celebrated Everest-conqueror Ed Viesturs rents himself out for credibility-lending cameos in this high-altitude adventure about a climber trying to rescue his sister from a huge crevasse near the top of K-2, the world's highest mountain. But the stunts are so far-fetched you don't even have to own a pair of hiking boots to find them laughable and the plot gimmicks are just pathetic (nitroglycerine? puh-leaze!). Even more hilarious, it's blatantly obvious that much of the movie was shot on a soundstage with cheap mountainside scrims in the background. Chris O'Donnell strains for charisma as the determined brother climber, Robin Tunney is the mountain guide sister, Bill Paxton is a billionaire adventure seeker with an agenda and Scott Glenn is the resident sage nutcase and Old Man of the Mountain. Not recommended. (R. Blackwelder)