K2 (1991)

Director:

Franc Roddam

Writers:

Patrick Meyers (play)
Patrick Meyers (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

Between the earth and the sky lies the sheer face of adventure.

Plot:

Taylor and Harold are good friends and avid climbers. While climbing one day, they meet a man who it seems might be attempting to climb K2...

Plot Keywords:

K2 | Climbing | Mountain | Bare Butt | Avalanche

Cast

Michael Biehn	...	Taylor Brooks
Matt Craven	...	Harold Jameson
Annie Grindlay	...	Lisa
Elena Wohl	...	Tracey (as Elena Stiteler)
Blu Mankuma	...	Man on Wheelchair
Charles Oberman	...	Tony
Julia Nickson-Soul	...	Cindy Jameson
Christopher M. Brown	...	Carl (as Christopher Brown)
Leslie Carlson	...	Dexter
David Cubitt	...	Peter
Luca Bercovici	...	Dallas Woolf
Edward Spat	...	Mike Spatt
Andrew Spat	...	Todd Spatt
Hiroshi Fujioka	...	Takane Shimuzu
Patricia Charbonneau	...	Jacki Metcalf

Also Known As:

K2: The Ultimate High

Runtime:

102 min | Canada:111 min | UK:111 min | USA:104 min

Country:

UK | Japan | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | Germany:16 | South Korea:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Norway:10

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company:

DENTSU Music And Entertainment

Trivia:

Jeffrey DeMunn was nominated for the 1983 Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Drama for "K2" as 'Taylor'.

Goofs:

Factual errors: After Harold has been injured on the descent, Taylor gives him an injection of adrenalin he found on Dallas' body. Adrenaline (ephinephrine) has no effect on reversing hypothermia or mitigating pain, as the scene implies. In fact, the drug would have constricted Harold's blood vessels and hastened his demise.

Quotes:

Taylor Brooks: If you ask me, it costs too much.
Harold: What?
Taylor Brooks: Love. It's way overpriced.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Incident at Loch Ness (2004)

Soundtrack:

Descent

A competent climb

I remember first seeing this movie when I was eleven or twelve. Then I saw 'Vertical Limit' a few months later and contrary to what I thought would be the case, I enjoyed K2 ten fold more than Martin's Campbell's weak adventure story on the same mountain. Contrary to what many people think, Everest may be the tallest mountain, but K2 is a far more difficult climb.

This film follows two young climbers, Taylor And Harold as they take on the mountain and succeed in reaching the highest peak, because of friendship and the hard team work which comes from loyalty to each other. The picture chooses to focus on characters and emotion, rather than edge of seat adventure. It is the right approach, but as a side effect, the story sometimes plods a little. As a lead role, Michael Biehn is surprisingly good. Typically a supporting actor, I find that many of his performances are a little weak, but not here. He does what is necessary to make a convincing character, far better than Chris O'Donnell in 'Vertical Limit'.

Free from clichés and artificial drama, K2 is a competent and touching movie, maybe not brilliant, but it lifts you.