An absolutely spectacular film, "Meru" chronicles a group of mountain climbers as they attempt to scale one of the most difficult climbs in the world — the "shark's fin" on Mount Meru.
By mixing sit-down interview footage of the climbers with stunning cinematography and footage of their actual climb, we see the story of alpinists Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk on their quest to conquer the mountain.
After their first attempt fails amidst depleting food supplies and harsh conditions, the group suffers a debilitating setback when, while skiing down a mountain, Renan goes over a cliff and suffers a broken neck.
After months of rehab and doctor's visits, Renan is told that, in his condition, a trek into high altitudes could cause a stroke and perhaps kill him, but the trio decides to continue with their climb anyway.
The film's climax is an amazing bit of filmmaking, all the more impressive to know that the climbers themselves are filming their journey while they climb, and often it is not shaky GoPro footage, but magnificent shots up and off the mountain.
We see inside the men's tents as they hang off the side of the rock while snow and wind swirl around them and the temperatures creep dangerously low. At times they climb in dark of night, and we see them scaling. At one point, Renan drifts in and out of coherence.
Many of you know "Everest," a dramatized account of a real-life mountain climbing expedition, is hitting theaters later this month. If you want to experience the real thing in a format so real you'll believe you were there, take a look at "Meru."
We see the moment Renan goes off the cliff, and we see the crew describe Jimmy's involvement in an avalanche. Later, on the mountain, we see them narrate as they climb a large section of rock that their climbing could cause a massive rock slide that would kill them all. I dare you to not cringe as they stand on the mountain, discussing how they can feel the mountain moving under them and hacking their picks into the rockface.
It's one of the best documentaries of the year, and has scored several accolades, including the Audience Award for documentaries at this year's Sundance Film Festival. It is a brilliant film that is every bit as exciting as any action film you will ever see.
https://youtu.be/YvS6O9lVkkg&w=585