We all like to judge things by their cover. I selected The Climb as my movie choice the other night because I was interested in an adventure. Well, I decided wrong.
Sure, there was some adventure, but not like what I was hoping for based on the film’s synopsis.
Our two lead characters, Derrick (Jason George) and Michael (Ned Vaughn), happen to be at the right place at the right time and pull off a daring rescue while climbing. After their heroics, a company sponsors their trip to climb one of the world’s most dangerous mountains. The only problem is Michael is a Christian who’s lost his wife, and Derrick is a showboat with a chip on his shoulder. Their styles don’t mesh. Their personalities don’t mix well, and despite their best intentions, they can’t find a groove to get along.
I hated Derrick for most of the movie. We all have emotional baggage. Some carry it well while others carry it around like dead weight. His father left when he was a kid, so he’s spent his entire life trying to prove the guy made a mistake. It was some intense stuff to deal with, but he went about it all wrong. That ruined any chance Michael had at salvaging their working relationship. As much as this movie is about two people, the story focuses and hinges on Derrick’s emotions and actions.
Mistakes were the real heart of the story. Poor decisions moved the story along, led to the significant turning point, and learning from those bad decisions was the ultimate lesson learnt at the end.
I didn’t take much away from the movie besides the fact it wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped. Even if you like climbing and/or Christian movies, this one lacks in both areas. Like I always say, I have seen worse, but I have also seen so much better. 2/10
Ten Stars or Less 