"Love Ruined a Movie"

A Review of "The Mountain Between Us" by Nathan H. Box

Directors: Hany Abu-Assad, Writers: J. Mills Goodloe, Charles Martin, Starring: Idris Elba, Kate Winslet, Beau Bridges

Rating: 3 Stars, STREAM

The Plot

Stranded after a tragic plane crash, two strangers must forge a connection to survive the extreme elements of a remote snow-covered mountain. When they realize help is not coming, they embark on a perilous journey across the wilderness.

My Critique

"The Mountain Between Us" could have easily been called "A Series of Unfortunate Events" but Lemony Snicket has already claimed that title. Every decision our lead characters make in this film births a more complicated decision to be made in the future. As they battle the unforgiving power of nature, we are treated to a test of wills and survival. 

This film wastes no time introducing the conflict to be overcome. In fact, it comes within the first ten minutes of the movie. For me, this was welcome. Instead of developing characters slowly and then forcing them to survive after a plane crash, the writers decided to introduce the problem and then develop the characters from there. Anytime the story-telling model is turned upside down, I applaud it. 

After the plane crash, we are introduced to the quiet violence of nature. The director and cinematographer do really great jobs of framing the sense of loneliness and peril before our main characters. After the crash, the first great decision must be made; to either stay or leave. Kate Winslet's character is for leaving. Idris Elba's character thinks they should stay and wait to be rescued. As an audience member, you know they aren't staying. You know they are going to test their luck in the open wild. For me, I welcomed such a test. Man versus nature is not a movie plot I am tired of seeing. 

Then things get complicated. The bond between our two lead characters turns from one of mutual survival to one of romance. Here, the story began to lose me. I have often heard of harrowing events doing strange things to people. Movies and books like to tell us that when we think the end is near we need someone to hold and love. I didn't think this movie was going to go in that direction. I was wrong. For me, I didn't think this movie needed this plot point to be good. In my view, love ruined this movie. 

As our characters get dressed and on with the business of trying to survive, the end seems to be within arms reach. Here, there is a fantastic turn in the story that leaves you guessing for a few moments. Yet, even that moment is ruined by the reintroduction of the love story. 

What I was left with to admire about this film was the ability of Idris Elba and Kate Winslet to hold the screen by themselves for most of the movie. Instead of playing off a full cast of characters, they are forced to rely on their abilities and treat nature like the character to be reckoned with that she is. For me, this was the more interesting path for the film. Instead, it became a love story and for that I recommend streaming this movie. 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan