Film Review - Summit Fever (2022)

Shot at altitude in 4K with sweeping shots of mountainous vistas and jaw dropping terrains, it will be no surprise to audiences to learn that director Julian Gilbey is also a climbing enthusiast. Summit Fever follows its own group of climbing enthusiasts who decide over one summer that they want to tackle the ‘Big Three’ – the Matterhorn, the Eiger and Mont Blanc. In spite of witnessing multiple fatalities as they ascend the first two peaks, they decide to continue to the final peak unaware that there is a deadly storm brewing.

Summit Fever is at its best when the action is on the mountain peaks. The beautiful scenery speaks for itself, and audiences are treated to wonderful views of the Swiss Alps. Unfortunately, Summit Fever is a lot less appealing when the action moves off the peaks. The film is a mix of different genres – it is a coming of age, a romance, a disaster film, a survival story and it also touches upon the supernatural. Summit Fever looks at following your passions, finding your path, perseverance and grief. All the while, it is also a film about climbing and the ascent of famous peaks. All these elements don’t always mix together well and at points these differing genres do work against each other.

The performances are good, and Freddie Thorp works well as the young man at the centre of everything. At times it is difficult to empathise with the characters because of the decisions that they make and the unnecessary risks that they take. When these risks lead to tragedy, Summit Fever doesn’t necessarily give the audience enough time or space to let these events sink in and it is easy to find yourself frustrated with people who you should feel sympathy for. The film works on the premise that audiences will understand the passion and burning need to scale these peaks, however why the climbers have this compulsion is never addressed in a way that feels comprehensible or in a way that makes the audience want to root for them to succeed.

There has been a recent slew of films that focus on climbing and as such the sub-genre is more crowded than it once was. With this in mind, Summit Fever is a reasonable addition to this sub-genre if not an outstanding one. The film is shot well, and it is clear that Gilbey loves the mountains that he is shooting but the story and selfishness of the characters lets it down.