Filmology Rating: 2 out of 4

I can only imagine the horror I would feel if I woke up in the middle of some snow covered mountains, miles away from civilization.  My flight or fight would never kick in and my anxiety would be off the charts while struggling to survive.  Watching a horror unfold on the silver screen can be a thrilling experience and for those who don’t like the thrilling side of life The Mountain Between Us adds some romance to cut the tension with love.

Alex Martin, played by Kate Winslet, and Ben Bass, played by Idris Elba, are both trying to get home when a storm hits causing all flights to be cancelled.  Alex needs to get home for her wedding and Ben needs to get home to perform a surgery on a child in need.  The two realize they have a common goal and they hire a charter plane to get them through the storm.  The two quickly realize that you should never challenge Mother Nature and are soon trapped in a mountain range with little signs of humanity.

The Mountain Between Us features two of the best working thespians Idris Elba and Kate Winslet.  Elba always brings gravitas to every role that he plays,  but he usually ends up being in films that never break into the popular culture like Pacific Rim and The Dark Tower.  His performances in this film helps add evidence that he is a fantastic actor who seems to never get the right material to work with.  Winslet was one of the go to actresses during the mid to late 1990s and then came back to prevalence with Steve Jobs and The Dressmaker.  Winslet does a great job of acting in this film, but the script doesn’t do her any favors. She had to deliver a monologue during the second act of the film that comes out of nowhere and feels completely forced so plot points can happen.  I have to give Winslet credit for attempting to make some of the situations work,  and I can only imagine how terrible the film could be with a lesser actress.   

The other redeeming aspect of this film is the breathing cinematography from Mandy Walker.  Walker also was the cinematographer for Hidden Figures and Australia but with The Mountain Between Us she brings a new sense of awe to her work.  Once the duo end up on the mountain I’m left with my jaw on the floor looking at the amazing beauty that I was seeing. I honestly was getting goosebumps watching the vast landscape that offered such beauty, yet such horror for our characters.

I have been accused in the past of not liking romance movies. Those individuals seem to look past the fact that my favorite film of 2017 thus far is The Big Sick.  I have nothing against romantic movies, the only thing that I ask for is realism within those movies.  Look at how difficult it can be and realize that love alone cannot help you survive extreme cold weather.  As The Mountain Between Us reminds us the heart itself is a muscle, not an object that has feeling.  This film could have been a better movie without the romance aspect imbedded in it. While it might have been a more difficult sell for general audiences,  it would have made for a better film.  Romantic interest between the two could be hinted but the Idris and Kate make out on the mountain scene is laughably bad,  and destroyed what could had been an interesting movie.  

What is most frustrating about the film is how much it wants you to love it and how much I wanted to do that.   After the first act I was ready to say this film is great  I couldn’t wait to tell everyone how great this film is,  but then the second act comes in and I’m having issues but I’m still going with it.  But the third act is unforgivable and it leads me to believe the first act was a fluke,  and the rest of the film established the director's true intention.   

Rating: Skip It

-Jonny G