Director Julian Gibery makes a return to the world of mountain climbing in Saban Films Summit Fever. Michael (Freddie Thrope) is a young English mountaineer lured to the Alps by his friend JP (Michel Biel) to help him conquer the `Big Three,’ the Matterhorn, the Eiger, and Mont Blanc, over one summer. Despite witnessing fatalities while ascending the first two peaks, they persevere onto the final climb, unaware of a deadly storm brewing on the other side of the mountain.
Mountaineering films, for me, have always been a hit-or-miss genre. You can name five mediocre films for every Cliffhanger or The Eiger Sanction. Regretfully Summit Fever falls into the mediocre category. So when the plot begins, we get a clichéd introduction to our lead Michael who has no direction in life.
On the one hand, I can understand the motivation of his character possibly wanting to get out there and brave a mountain, but Thorpe’s acting doesn’t pull you in. The sentiment carries over to the supporting cast, as no one is particularly memorable in the slightest. Worst of all, Ryan Philippe is advertised as a significant player, and his role is nothing more than an extended cameo.
Gibery, an avid mountain climber, pens the script for the film, and this honestly feels like a passion project for the filmmaker, which is fine, but sadly the project doesn’t reach any new heights. It is fair to say that Summit Fever is a direct-to-video movie, but it is also a mix of movies you have already seen. Various elements of a much better film are copied into the film, but the result is disappointing.
Final Grade: D+
Summit Fever is In Theaters, on Digital, and On Demand on October 14, 2022
Director Potsy Ponciroli shifts gears for his third feature in “Motor City,” produced by IFC Films. Chad St. John penned the film’s screenplay, which was actually on the 2009 Black List and spent several years in development hell before finally getting underway.
San Francisco in film is often depicted through sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge or romanticized, foggy hills. However, “Splash City” from Lionsgate brings the focus down to street level. Co-directed by Alex Ferrufino and Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr. (better known as rapper and entrepreneur Berner), this R-rated crime drama moves away from postcard aesthetics to present a sharp, urgent portrayal of survival on the streets.
Writer-director Lee Cronin made an impressive feature film debut in 2019 with “The Hole in the Ground” and followed it up with a fresh and gruesome installment in the “Evil Dead” franchise, “Evil Dead Rise”. However, due to adult responsibilities, I missed his third film in theaters. The mixed reviews and rumors of a troubled production have me concerned.