Review: Touching the Void

Not Rated | 106 mins

As opening credits of Touching the Void commence, all of the audience members who actually read them will be informed that the film was done in association with KPBS. This, in itself, is a bit of a turn-off. Material similar to that of Touching the Void plays on the public-cable station regularly. However, I’d estimate that only about one-eighth of the viewers, who will partake in watching this movie, would do the same if it were on television. There’s something so distinctly “educational” about KPBS, and most (myself included) never realize that the programming featured on it is often more enthralling than the latest episode of “Survivor.” I’m not sure how strongly affiliated KPBS is with Touching the Void, and I apologize if the connection is loose. However, I believe the point that I’ve made to be valid. The big screen not only enhances the content in this movie, but also allows for the applause of all critics, luring those unsure about it into their local art-house theatre.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie quite like this one—on film, at least. It’s a part-documentary and part-fictional-footage view of Simon Yates and Joe Simpson. Yates and Simpson were two mountain climbing partners, who headed out to climb the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes, in the year 1985. No climber had ever successfully made it to the tip of the Siula Grande before, but Yates and Simpson were reasonably confident they could do so. They ascended to the peak with a breeze, but on the way down, danger was prevalent. Simon and, particularly Joe, experienced some insanely unreal, near death situations, when inching their ways down the mountain. We are aware that the two survived, as they both discuss the events of the situation, in between reenacted segments of the climb, featuring actors Nicholas Aaron and Brendan Mackey. However, the fascination with how they remained alive stays with us until long after we have watched Touching the Void, and is what keeps us interested for the entire duration.

Most people (I would guess), have pondered what being near death feels like. What thoughts, or lack thereof, rush through one’s head? How does it all come to an end? Yates and Simpson are two of the few that are actually alive to tell us today. Touching the Void allows the general public to understand death, in one of the most brutal forms. This movie isn’t as much of a visceral experience as it is an intriguing one. Touching the Void is not about its two main characters gaining our sympathy, but rather about their insights on life. This is one surreal film, and, hopefully, not a single person will follow their own personal tastes, when deciding whether to shell out nine bucks for a ticket to see it or not. It may not seem all that appealing, but this time, critics have the right idea.