15.1.24
Society of the Snow offers a stark and stomach-churning portrayal of the infamous 1972 Andes plane disaster and the harrowing survival story that followed. The film wastes no time plunging viewers into the chaos of the crash itself – a technically impressive sequence that truly makes you feel the terror and panic. What follows is an unflinching look at the agonising choices and gradual descent into madness as the survivors cling to life in the frigid mountains.
At 2 hours and 20 minutes, the film is arguably longer than it needs to be, a problem amplified when the film has been chiefly distributed on Netflix. But despite that, there is much to be delivered in the film’s final act, despite feeling emotionally drawn out. I found my interest waning at times even as the tension through peril, performances and production value remained top-notch.
The ordeal depicted is extremely compelling, but the film failed to make me invest deeply in the characters themselves. This is likely more of a personal issue, as my wife was very moved by the portrayals. And the young actors are beyond impressive in their commitment – not just in capturing the desperation of the survivors, but also in their willingness to become rail-thin as Christian Bale did in The Machinist and as Michael Fassbender also did in Hunger. Their transformations are just chilling, lending authenticity and feeling like the main reason to endure the tale through to the inevitable real-life conclusion.
A technically proficient, intensely realistic portrayal of an almost unbelievable true story. The impact and genuine contemplation of asking ‘What would you do?’ is impossible to deny even if the film doesn’t achieve excellence.