the k2 movie review

I don’t know any mountain climbers personally, but the ones I’ve seen in movies are people who go to a great deal of time and trouble to place themselves in agonizing dilemmas. Then they become heroes by making extraordinary efforts to free themselves from the very situations they made equally extraordinary efforts to get into.

Sooner or later in every mountain climbing movie, we arrive at the obligatory scene where two climbers are stranded near the summit. One is too injured or sick to go any further, and the other knows that if he saves himself, his friend will die. Since the friend will die anyway, it is impossible to resolve the situation except by tortured rhetoric or some sort of utterly false development such as the materialization of a helicopter.

“K2” serves as an anthology of almost all the obligatory plot points that make mountain climbing movies so predictable. It begins with a close but unwholesome friendship between two men, based on one man’s need to be depended upon, and the other’s need to depend on him. They enact this need in a series of mountaineering crises, in which they are never so happy as when one has screwed up and is hanging from the end of a rope while the other is anchoring him, thus fulfilling their mutual need.

Women are not necessary in such relationships, but usually appear in walk-on roles, as sniveling housewives with babies hanging from them, who complain that their husbands are going off on another damned expedition instead of being dutiful fathers. The male characters hang their heads and scuff their shoes, but doggone it, how can you compare changing diapers with the glory of a mountain summit? After the absolutely essential farewell speech (“This is my last climb. Let me go on this one, and . . .” etc.) the protagonists join an expedition which inevitably (1) has started too late in the season, (2) contains at least one arrogant jerk, and (3) is attempting an unprecedented technical feat. We can tick off the inevitable scenes, including (1) recruitment of the porters, (2) lines of men snaking wearily up the mountainside, (3) barefoot frolic in the snow during a brief carefree moment, (4) the decision about who will reach the summit, (5) the warning about a dangerous situation, (6) the shrugging off of the warning, (7) the death of the warned character, (8) the carrying on by the others, all leading to (9).

And (9), of course, is the scene which is as essential to mountain movies as kinky sex is to a Michael Douglas thriller. It involves the conquest of the summit, followed by some kind of mishap that leaves the two buddies stranded in a snowstorm, hopefully with no food and at least one broken limb, while winter approaches, rescue is impossible, and the only choice is between one person dying, and two.

When I see such a scene, the moral is clear to me. It is: Why go to agonizing mental and physical effort to haul yourself up thousands of feet to face this dilemma, when you could have stayed at home with the wife and kids? (I’ve yet to hear the orphan of a mountain climber testify he’s proud of Dad for proving his courage by falling off the Matterhorn, instead of staying home and being a father.) If I ever fell off a mountain, I would shout “Stupid! Stupid!” at myself all the way down, for having willingly and through great effort put myself in a position to fall to my death.

I know that is an heretical reaction. I know there is supposed to be some kind of enormous psychic bonanza from successfully risking life and limb to conquer a mountain. But here’s a curious thing. The actual arrival at the summit is always a disappointment in movies like this. The climbers get up there, stick a flag in the snow, wave their arms, shout, and take photos of each other. Big deal. They seem impatient to move on toward the real psychic payoff, which is the masochistic ordeal of the descent, during which they will be hit by storms, lose their ropes, break their legs, etc.

I am forced to the conclusion that what keeps climbers going back for more is not their desire to conquer the mountain, but their disappointment that the mountain has not yet conquered them. Put it this way. If simply getting to the top and back were the real point of mountain climbing, why hasn’t there ever been a movie about a successful expedition?

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Matt Craven as Harold Jamison
• Michael Biehn as Taylor Brooks

Directed by

• Franc Roddam

Based On The Play by

• Patrick Meyers

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MOVIE REVIEW : ‘K2’: A Real Cliffhanger

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“K2” keeps it simple. A formidable mountain, howling winds and blinding snows, lionhearted climbers who know nothing of fear. Even as you’re watching it you can imagine the ad campaign this might have inspired once upon a time: “Six Against the Snows! An Avalanche of Emotions! The Wind Was Cold . . . But the Women Were Warm!”

In truth, “K2” (selected theaters, rated R for language) is something of a throwback, but a very sure-handed one. Once a cerebral two-character theater piece by Patrick Meyers, it has been adroitly turned inside out and transformed into an adventure film whose main asset is thrills and (quite literally) chills. Man-against-nature epics are hardly fashionable anymore, but director Franc Roddam shows how much life there is in the old dog yet.

Roddam, a former documentary filmmaker whose first two pictures, “Quadrophenia” and “The Lords of Discipline,” made a vivid impression, certainly appreciates the value of having an extraordinary physical setting. And though “K2” inevitably condescends to a certain amount of male bonding blather about sacrifice, selfishness and Why We Climb (courtesy of playwright Meyers and co-screenwriter Scott Roberts), the director is savvy enough not to let that get in the way of some genuinely spectacular and gut-clenching mountaineering footage.

Before we so much as catch a glimpse of a mountain, however, we must meet our heroes, two young Americans who, it will come as a surprise to no one, manage to be the closest of friends without having a blessed thing in common. Except climbing.

Taylor (“The Terminator’s” Michael Biehn) is a self-centered, devil-may-care attorney, brash, cocky, classically handsome and someone who is, best buddy Harold admiringly says, “too dumb to let reality stand in the way of success.”

Harold (Matt Craven), naturally, is the cautious belt-and-suspenders type, a professor and deep-thinking scientific researcher. Happily married and a new father (the philandering Taylor, by convenient contrast, feels that love is “way overpriced”), Harold’s only flaw is that he has this passion for arduous, time-consuming climbs with his pal, expeditions that put a considerable strain on family life.

On one such trip, the guys run into a tight team of top-of-the-line climbers, led by “the Phillip Claiborne,” a mountaineer of such sterling repute that Taylor knows at once that whatever future assault these folks are training for, he not only just has to go, he also has to drag Harold, who he considers terminally henpecked, along with him.

The group’s destination is supposed to be a big secret, but the film’s title freely gives it away. For K2 (the mountain not the movie) is the stuff of legends, the second tallest peak on Earth and considered the toughest in the world to climb. Located in such a remote corner of northern Pakistan that no locals got close enough to give it a neighborly name, K2 at last count has claimed a sobering 27 would-be climbers as victims.

Naturally, circumstances conspire to allow Harold and Taylor to make the team, but once the gang gets to Pakistan and closes in on the mountain, problems have a way of cropping up. Trouble with porters, treacherous slopes, tricky weather all materialize at predictable points, as does that biggest bugaboo of all, tension between the climbers. “Anything can happen up here, anything,” Taylor announces with considerable drama. “Don’t rely on anyone but yourself.”

These kinds of preordained difficulties are easily ignored, however, in the undeniable excitement of the climbing footage. In their gaudy, electric-pastel outfits and gear, the mountaineers make an undeniably colorful sight strung out against the pristine snows, but this team manages to do more than merely look good.

Though it was clearly too tough to even think about shooting at the real K2, British Columbia’s Mt. Waddington, where 25-degree-below-zero cold tended to freeze the camera’s eyepiece, was substituted with no noticeable loss of verisimilitude. And even though stuntmen doubled the principles on the riskier treks, the fact that everyone took climbing lessons before the shooting added to “K2’s” noticeable feeling of reality.

Helped by Gabriel Beristain’s crisp, arresting photography, an energizing score by Chaz Jankel and acting that is more low-key than is usual in this kind of film, Roddam has turned the scenes on the mountain into a pleasantly hair-raising experience. Having carefully hooked you in, “K2” proceeds to play hard but fair, tightening the noose again and again. Who will live and who will die on the killer mountain? Wouldn’t you just like to know?

Michael Biehn: Taylor Brooks

Matt Craven: Harold Jamison

Raymond J. Barry: Phillip Claiborne

Luca Bercovici: Dallas Woolf

Julia Nickson-Soul: Cindy Jamison

Patricia Charbonneau: Jacki Metcalfe

A Trans Pacific Films production in association with Miramax Films, released by Paramount Pictures. Director Franc Roddam. Producers Jonathan Taplin, Marilyn Weiner, Tim Van Rellim. Executive producers Melvin J. Estrin, Hal Weiner. Screenplay Patrick Meyers and Scott Roberts, from the play by Patrick Meyers. Cinematographer Gabriel Beristain. Editor Sean Barton. Costumes Kathryn Morrison. Music Chaz Jankel. Production design Andrew Sanders. Running time: 1 hour, 44 minutes.

MPAA-rated R (language).

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• TV Listings
• Cast & Crew
• 1 hr 42 mins
• Drama, Action & Adventure
• Watchlist Where to Watch

An assistant DA and a physicist (Michael Biehn, Matt Craven) climb the world's second-highest peak. Claiborne: Raymond J. Barry. Woolf: Luca Bercovici. Jacki: Patricia Charbonneau. Cindy: Julia Nickson-Soul. Shimuzu: Hiroshi Fujioka. Khan: Jamal Shah. Directed by Franc Roddam.

A molehill has been made of a mountain. Patrick Myers's stunning play about two characters in search of survival on K2, the world's second highest peak, fails to scale any cinematic heights at all. The original theatrical piece, mounted on Broadway in 1983, has been effectively enlarged, and the two mountain-climbing protagonists given fleshed-out identities. Bachelor Taylor Brooks (Michael Biehn), owner of a silver metallic Porsche convertible, is a wiseguy and womanizing assistant DA, whose idea of a good time is picking up gals who are "wet, wild and willing." (He'll go to any lengths to impress them, including lithely scampering up the side of a building, like Spiderman, to reach their apartment.) Harold Jamieson (Matt Craven) is an introspective physicist, and happily married with a young child. They're old friends, ying and yang tempermentally, who share a mutual, obsessive passion for the challenge of the climb. Philosophically, Harold (nicknamed "H") climbs because, when he stands on top of a mountain, for just a second he feels the truth; Taylor climbs because there are none. (H: "If there are no answers, why don't you look for one?" Taylor: "That's why I climb mountains.") On a recent vacation, a planned 10-day trip on Mount McKinley, they barely escaped with their lives after an overhead jet created an avalanche. Two in their party died. Understandably, Harold's beautiful Asian-American wife Cindy (Julia Nickson-Soul) isn't at all pleased when the pair decide to scale K2, "the toughest mountain in the world" because "half of the people who go there don't come back." (At 28,250 feet, it's a bit lower than Everest's 29,028, but is considered a more difficult ascent.) In Pakistan, they join a team headed by billionare Philip Claiborne (Raymond J. Barry), with Dallas Woolf (Luca Bercovici), Taylor's "sworn enemy" since law school, veteran climber Takane Shimuzu (Hiroshi Fujioka) and Clairborne's girlfriend Jacki Metcalfe (Patricia Charbonneau), who's along for the ride. Mirroring "Murphy's Law" ("If anything can go wrong, it will"), almost all of the native porters abandon them just four hours from the base camp. There's tons of equipment yet to bring up, but Taylor delivers the mountain climber's equivalent of Henry V's impassioned speech at Agincourt ("We're a team!"), and a few Sherpas remain. At 20,000 feet, Philip becomes ill, requires oxygen and can't continue. (Wonderful photography here, of the mountain at night, and the geodesic-domed tents lighted from the inside.) Philip gives orders that only two of the four men can go to the summit, Dallas and Takane, but the latter is killed and the former is missing. By this time, Philip is coughing blood and near death, and Jacki has radioed for a rescue helicopter. But Taylor and "H" are raring to try to reach the summit. Philip warns them that if they're not back in time, within twenty-four hours, they'll leave without them. Scared, with no rope, tent or oxygen and just one can of chicken soup between them, the pair are successful and plant flags and take photos. On their way back to the camp, "H" falls on a sheet of ice and breaks his leg. They're both stranded on a ledge 1,250 feet below the summit. "H" becomes delirious and wants to die, and asks Taylor to look after his son. At first, Taylor doesn't want to leave him ("You're the only real friend I have. My work is with scum and lies and compromise. You have grace and nobility.") But Taylor is a born survivor and goes for help. En route, he finds Dallas's frozen body, takes his rope and drags "H" down the mountain where the chopper appears to save the day and, one assumes, the two of them. (In the play, the ending isn't as hopeful, and "H" likely perishes.) Much of the filming took place on Mt. Waddington, in Canada, and at the base of the real K2 in the Karakoram range in northern Kashmir. The mountain-climbing sequences are visually scenic and well done. Not so the predictable screenplay and pedestrian acting, which reduces this high-minded attempt to deal with areas of friendship and personal nobility to a pseudo-sentimental buddy film. The original 95-minute play, a drama with no intermission, almost never got on the boards. Its single stage set, featuring a spectacular 55-foot ice-covered wood and styrofoam mountaintop, was condemned as a fire hazard by the NYPD. Fortunately, remedial measures were taken and the play opened in time to qualify for that year's Tony Awards--where Ming Cho Lee won one for best scenic design.

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Release details.

• Duration: 111 mins

Cast and crew

• Director: Franc Roddam
• Screenwriter: Patrick Meyers, Scott Roberts
• Michael Biehn
• Matt Craven
• Raymond J Barry
• Hiroshi Fujioka
• Luca Bercovici
• Patricia Charbonneau
• Julia Nickson-Soul

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Directed by Franc Roddam

28,000 feet. You're hanging on by your fingernails. The adrenaline alone could kill you.

They call it the savage mountain. 27 people have perished trying to reach the summit on K2, the world's second highest peak. A U.S. climbing team, funded by millionaire Clairborne is determined to conquer K2.

Michael Biehn Matt Craven Annie Grindlay Blu Mankuma Elena Wohl Julia Nickson Leslie Carlson David Cubitt Luca Bercovici Hiroshi Fujioka Patricia Charbonneau Raymond J. Barry Kehli O'Byrne Lillian Carlson

Director Director

Franc Roddam

Producers Producers

Jonathan T. Taplin Tim Van Rellim Masa Mikage Marilyn Weiner

Writers Writers

Patrick Meyers Scott Roberts

Original Writer Original Writer

Patrick Meyers

Casting Casting

Victoria Thomas

Editor Editor

Sean Barton

Cinematography Cinematography

Gabriel Beristain

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Hal Weiner Melvyn J. Estrin

Production Design Production Design

Andrew Sanders

Art Direction Art Direction

Richard Hudolin

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Tedd Kuchera

Stunts Stunts

J.J. Makaro

Composers Composers

Hans Zimmer Chaz Jankel

Costume Design Costume Design

Kathryn Morrison

Makeup Makeup

Sally Sutton

Majestic Films International Trans Pacific Films Miramax Paramount Pictures Entertainment Film Distributors

Japan UK USA

Releases by Date

24 apr 1992, 10 oct 1991, 22 nov 1991, 12 dec 1991, 14 feb 1992, 28 feb 1992, 16 apr 1992, 01 may 1992, 22 may 1992, 05 jun 1992, 19 jun 1992, 26 jun 1992, 01 may 1993, 02 jul 1993, releases by country.

• Theatrical +16
• Theatrical 16
• Theatrical M/6

South Korea

• Theatrical 12
• Theatrical 11
• Theatrical 15
• Theatrical R
• Premiere R USA Film Festival

102 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by matt lynch ★★½ 2

All of this could have been avoided if people didn't do insanely inadvisable and extremely hazardous things like climb giant mountains, possibly the most insanely inadvisable and extremely hazardous thing anyone could foolishly attempt aside from flying a kite in a tornado or like sticking your dick in an oscillating fan. I'm serious: if you do this, you are a stupid person.

Review by Lisa ★★★½ 4

After finishing my watchlist filled with art house cinema, film noir, and good ol' Hollywood classics, it finally feels great to chill out to a simple B-movie like K2 .

Damn, this movie started out cheesy. Cheesy soundtrack, cheesy acting. It's a very 'early 90s' kind of movie, not so much a 'late 90s' kind of movie (like Vertical Limit ) , but it gets better as soon as they start climbing. Every scene that doesn't take place in the mountains is crap. So it's a good thing that the movie almost only takes place in the mountains, more specifically the mountains of Karakoram. Just like in Vertical Limit .

It's a fun and exciting movie, showing the dangers of mountain climbing (and the…

Review by Dan Gorman ★★ 3

Michael Biehn basically bullies Matt Craven into leaving his wife and child behind to climb K2, and then is a complete dilweed the entire time and pretty much almost gets everyone killed. Some decent climbing cinematography though, and the most 90s-ass opening credits I've seen in quite a while, holy shit.

Review by RhodesMovie ★★★ 5

Michael Biehn, baby!

If I lived a million lifetimes, you'd never find me climbing a mountain. Not even alongside Michael Biehn, one of my all time faves.

K2 borrows a Top Gun dynamic with its characters and the danger. Mountain climber Michael Biehn is a cocktail of hot-headed and cocksure. He's a showman in the face of peril. His 'Goose' on the rocks is Matt Frewer, whose wife and baby setup gives him a clash of priorities - he picks bromance over romance.

The locations are about the best thing you can point a camera at and the stunts and staging are seriously impressive for a film hardly anyone saw. While there is an undeniable air of predictably about it,…

Review by Vetni ★★★½

Pure 90s cheese mixed with mountaineering is literally what I live for.

Review by EudoraFletcher ★★★★ 2

After a long intro that I found absolutely ok to get to know the characters and their motives, two young guys decide to take part in a group climb onto K2. It´s all about the narcissism of these people, they want to climb K2 to test their boundaries and be the cool guys who did this. This has been staged very well. Also the pictures of the mountains and the camera in general is just fantastic in my opinion! Especially for a movie from 1991! To me this is one of the better mountaineer movies! The cold and the pain are being communicated very well!

letterboxd.com/eudorafletcher/list/snow-and-ice/

Review by Elias ★★★★★

This movie is awesome and I don’t care what anyone wants to try to knock it down with. You have real climbing (including one of the best opening scenes ever — “Free the whole pitch”), you have great music courtesy of none other than the man himself, Hans Zimmer, you have a damn good mountain survival story. It’s not contrived, it’s acted decently well, it makes you want to go stand on top of something tall. 

I can’t help but notice others don’t share my five star rating. What’s going to work for me isn’t going to work for you. Nobody can climb that mountain for you.

Review by Andrew ★★★

I love a movie set on a train. I love movies set in submarines. I love movies aboard a space ship. And recently I have found an affinity for movies set on mountains, particularly mountain climbing movies. I guess I like that there is an immediate and easily understood danger baked into the core of the film. I like that the plotting is reflected in the physical element to be overcome. In the case of a train it is moving linearly from point A to point B. It literally is the engine propelling the story. With mountain climbing movies it is very much the same thing, only in the vertical direction. Start at the bottom, get to the top, come…

Review by biting_eye ★★★ 1

If I remember correctly, the VHS of this in Australian rental stores had a real piece of red string placed over the red rope on the cover. I think that was this movie. Anyway, Biehn is a powder keg of determination in this. The opening credits with some guy dancing is nuts..

Review by sofi✨ ★★★½

that climbing scene in the first ten minutes is so cool they don’t make movies like this anymore. also they were like. in love.

Review by VHSCreep ★★★

A couple of friends get high on a mountain of snow white K

Review by Jake Movies ★★★★★

two bros climbing the second tallest mountain on earth, everybody dies around them, but at the end of the day, they’re still two bros climbing the second tallest mountain on earth. heck yeah!

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01 Jan 1992

111 minutes

Not a prequel to K-9, this is in fact about the second highest mountain in the Himalayas, reputed to be an even more dangerous climb than Mount Everest, and stuck with a Pakistani name so unpronounceable this film doesn't even bother to mention it.

Like Backdraft, but on a considerably less exciting level, this is essentially a re-run of all those 'dangerous profession' melodramas of the '30s and '40s, in which two he-man buddies brawl and booze between putting their lives on the line as test pilots/deep-sea divers/jungle explorers etc.

Here, wild and irresponsible Michael Biehn and happily married and irresponsible Matt Craven, whom you might just remember as the man in Jacob's Ladder who explains the plot, join up with a billionaire's K2 expedition and all the expected clichés of the genre are trotted out.The surly and untrustworthy native porters keep deserting the doggedly devoted white heroes, and the more disposable secondary characters get splatted by avalanches and freak falls.

The only surprise is that Biehn doesn't make any moves on the expedition's sole woman, perhaps because Patricia Charbonneau looks more butch in her climbing get-up than she did when she played a lesbian in Desert Hearts, and that nobody goes mad and wanders off into the snowy wastes in search of the abominable snowman.

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Where to Watch

Watch The K2 with a subscription on Prime Video.

Cast & Crew

Ji Chang-wook

Song Yoon-ah

Choi Yoo-jin

Jang Se-joon

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The K2 Korean Drama Review: An Entertaining Modern Retelling of Snow White

What if the Evil Queen fell in love with the Huntsman, but the Huntsman fell for Snow White instead?

THE K2 KOREAN DRAMA REVIEW

Snow White meets action-packed Korean Drama in this contemporary fairy tale retelling starring Ji Chang-wook , Song Yoon-ah, and Im Yoon-ah. 

Part romantic drama , part political action thriller, part fairy tale, and part sci-fi,  The K2  Korean Drama is a blast to watch despite some issues with the central romance. 

THE K2 STORY

In  K2 , Kim Je Ha is a mercenary soldier framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Known as K2, Je Ha seeks revenge with the help of the ruthless Choi Yoo Jin, the owner of JSS Security Company and the wife of Jang Se Joon, a presidential candidate.

The K2 mission in the series is for Je Ha to get to the truth and also get his revenge.

Meanwhile, Je Ha also becomes the patriotic bodyguard of the presidential candidate’s reclusive and illegitimate daughter, Go An Na (a seemingly sweet girl with a friendly personality).

Soon, he must choose between his loyalty to the cutthroat first lady contender, Yoo Jin, or to his growing attraction to her stepdaughter, An Na. (This is Snow White, after all.)

RELATED: My Holo Love (2020): Netflix’s Latest Romantic, Sci-Fi K-Drama

The contemporary version of the story asks, what if the Evil Queen fell in love with the Huntsman , but the Huntsman fell for Snow White instead?

An entertaining premise: I appreciated the story and the brilliant characterization of Choi Yoo Jin as the wicked “queen,” a powerful and mysterious woman who runs her own company. But is she as evil as she seems? 

On the surface, the series as a Snow White retelling isn’t the most obvious, but after minute observation, the similarities and clear comparisons rise. From the sci-fi twist on the “ mirror ” to the evil stepmother and even the Huntsman.

The main plot points are all there – even down to the wicked stepmother wanting her stepdaughter gone. Instead of royals, we have political leaders. It’s all rather clever.

THE ROMANCE

But how does the main romance fare? The chemistry between Je Ha and Yoo Jin in the political drama is so palpable that you often wonder why you must endure the immature romance between Je Ha and An Na.

Seriously, there’s even a cringe scene where Je Ha, a mercenary soldier, mind you, squeals while watching An Na make ramen. It may be the absolute worst romantic scene ever in a K-Drama or any drama.

While the main romance is, at times, painful, the show is still fascinating, thanks to the two main leads (and I’m not talking about the annoying Snow-White character An Na). Rather,  K2  is all about Yoo Jin and Je Ha. 

So, is Choi Yoo Jin in love with Je ha? Yes…even if he doesn’t love her back beyond an attraction.

THE MAGIC MIRROR WITH A SCI-FI TWIST

On a side note (and one of the exciting observations about this contemporary Snow White retelling) is the writers’ use of “The Mirror.” 

I loved the version of the magic mirror in this retelling, a cool sci-fi invention called “The Mirror” that can spy on people with unique technology created by Yoo Jin.

The mirror is a smart twist on the fairy tale and would work well in an American remake. Think  Snow White  meets  Person of Interest . 

OVERALL THOUGHTS 

Overall, while the central romance is eye-rolling and frustrating and lacking some romantic drama instinct, watch for good action scenes, swoony chemistry between Yoo Jin and Je Ha, and a fabulous performance from Song Yoon Ah as the dynamic Choi Yoo Jin, the wife of a presidential candidate (or the “wicked queen”).

Content Note:  TV-14 (mild).

Where to Watch:  Netflix and Viki. You can also buy it on DVD .

( Note:  Below, for the romance rating, I gave it a three, but I would rate Je Ha and An Na a two. It’s only higher because the “queen” and the “huntsman” are so fabulous together onscreen.

If there is ever a remake of this show (and there should be), they should change the romance aspect to better suit the story.)

MORE ABOUT  THE K2 KDRAMA

How many episodes of  the k2  drama.

The K2  aired for 16 total episodes on tvN from September 23, 2016, until November 12, 2016, on Fridays and Saturdays.

The series received favorable reviews – particularly for the lead actor Ji Chang Wook – and had strong  viewership ratings .

THE K2  CAST & CREW

Jang Hyuk-rin (Yong-pal) wrote the script with Kwak Jung-hwan directing. The action and story are creative and strong; however, the show would have ultimately been stronger by reworking the main love story. 

RELATED : Classic Romantic Moment Series: K-Drama Healer – Unexpected Kiss in the Snow

Besides Ji Chang-wook, Im Yoon-ah, and Song Yoon-ah, other cast members include Jo Sung-ha as Jang Se Joon (the cheating husband and presidential candidate), Kim Kap Soo as Park Kwan Soo (a political rival), Lee Jung Jin as Choi Sung Won (Yoo Jin’s younger brother), Shin Dong mi as Kim Dong mi (Yoo-jin’s personal secretary), Lee Ye-eun as Jang Mi ran (one of An Na’s bodyguards), and Lee Jae-woo as Kang Sung gyu, another bodyguard.

Consider An Na’s bodyguards as the seven dwarfs in this  Snow White  retelling.

THE K2 SYNOPSIS (OFFICIAL NETFLIX SUMMARY)

A fugitive soldier gets swept up in personal and political intrigue when he’s hired as a bodyguard for the family of a presidential candidate.

You can watch the political fairy tale on Netflix.

OFFICIAL VIKI SYNOPSIS

A fugitive searches for justice. Kim Je Ha (Ji Chang Wook) is a former mercenary soldier known as “K2” who suddenly turns into a fugitive when he is wrongfully accused of killing his girlfriend while he is serving in Iraq. He finds his way back to Korea and gets a job as a bodyguard for Choi Yoo Jin (Song Yoon Ah), the owner of JSS Security and the wife of Jang Se Joon (Jo Sung Ha), who is running for president. Je Ha uses his new job to plan his revenge on Park Kwan Soo (Kim Kap Soo), the leader of the current ruling party and Se Joon’s rival, whom Je Ha believes ordered the murder of his girlfriend. When Je Ha is assigned to guard Go An Na (Yoona), the reclusive illegitimate daughter of Se Joon, they begin to develop feelings for each other. But what happens when the person who wants to harm An Na the most is Yoo Jin, Je Ha’s boss and revenge ally? Where will Je Ha’s loyalty lay?

Watch on Viki HERE .

WATCH THE TRAILER

You can see from the trailer that it’s an exciting KDrama with Ji Chang Wook (who did his own stunts) perfect in the lead role!

Have you seen  The K2  Korean Drama? Do you agree with our review of  The K2 , or do you love the central romance? Discuss this in the comments below.

PIN THIS ARTICLE! AND MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON  PINTEREST .

MORE ROMANCE:

ROMANCE ARCHIVES: A COLLECTION SORTED BY GENRE

In second grade, Autumn wrote her first story, “The Spinach Monster,” and hasn't stopped writing since. Intrigued by the tales her grandmother told of vampires, witches, and ghosts as a girl, she's always been drawn to the fantastic. Later, Autumn studied English and Creative Writing (continuing her love for classic literature and everything old-fashioned) and graduated with an MA in Children’s Literature and an MS in Library & Information Science from Simmons College. Currently, she co-runs this lovely site and works as a YA Librarian.

More posts by this author.

25 thoughts on “The K2 Korean Drama Review: An Entertaining Modern Retelling of Snow White”

I lovedddd K2! Way more than I thought I would. It’s a hidden gem. The female villain has some of the best dialogue I’ve seen in any kdrama.

Also, the snow white comparison is super interesting. I didn’t make the connection while watching! I might have to watch it again. P.S. I was a sucker for the ramen scene hah. So stupid, but so cute at the same time.

We noticed the Snow White comparisons more and more as the show progressed. The clincher was the “mirror.” On re-watch, you’ll be able to notice it. It seems people are mixed about the romance and scenes like the ramen one! Some people love it! Others not so much. So, it probably comes down to preference. I didn’t, but overly cutesy stuff doesn’t usually appeal to me. 🙂 I felt there was more intellectual equality between him and the female villain.

I agree with you. The Snow White background is the older source (rather than modern incarnations), so that’s the one we can discuss. The main female characters all represent three aspects of femalehood – the “innocent” virgin, the mother and the (wise, sensual) childless crone (note in the fairy tale, the stepmother is disguised as an old woman). The mother is dead, this was also the case with the source fairy tale. Motherhood is often associated with death as childbirth was dangerous … additionally the stepmother is childless but sexually mature and thus powerful. This is the source of the tension between her and the “huntsman” and why many of us find that relationship more interesting. I haven’t finished the K2 series, so I’m curious to see where they go with this ancient love triangle. A similar concept of innocence threatened by sexual guile can also be seen in the Snow Queen which also was reinterpreted by Disney as “Frozen”.

Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing!

The female villain stole the entire series! She was so good.

I am in love with the Je Ha and Yoo Jin chemistry, glad you mentioned that!

Not Snow White. Has elements of the movie The Graduate in it. The Bancroft and Hoffman classic.

Interesting perspective!

I super love your review! I totally agree with the romance part. I git so frustrated that it came that way! “The Queen”‘ and K2’s chemistry is on another level!!

Yes, they should have totally focused more on their chemistry. It was so much more interesting.

I am so glad you mentioned the chemistry between Je Ha and Yoo Jin. It’s obvious who the main couple was but then too I hoped for something else. Yoo Jin carried the show for me her character was so well written.

I am on episode 11 right now and this review took the words out of my mouth. Tis definitely the evil / not so evil queen and the male lead who by the way is a lot more than a pretty face. Totally agree with the review although I understand the need for the romance angle as in good overcoming evil. All in all this kdrama is very well done. The actress portraying the evil queen is nothing short of brilliant. What a performance; it is her series all the way.

Yes, completely agree!

Hi Amber and Autumn, I thought I am the one feeling this way about “the annoying snow white” (I fast forward all her scenes, because it was a waste of time), and I think the ‘love at first sight’ scene of Ana failed to make Ramen was really stupid, it was the tough and macho “couldn’t care less” guy K2 suddenly turned to puppy from wolf.

Thanks again for the good review.

Haha! Yeah, she was an annoying character and the ramen scene was funny – but not in a good way! We did enjoy many things about the series though. 🙂 Anyway, you’re welcome! And thanks.

annoying with no limited facial expression and limited outfits too

Agree with this review to extend although I don’t understand why do people find the female lead annoying or her romance with Je Ha. Years of war and losing his first love in, then being dragged into all that violence by that “Queen”, do people really wanted that type of romance? Fall in love with the woman who would have been successful in “getting rid of a peasant” had it not been for his “hidden huntsman skills, or actually having basic attraction for woman who can be of same age as his mother. Anna was isolated as a child, isolation can trigger anyone. She lived in self guilt and forced to become nun until finally breaking out on her. She unfortunately thinks her dear father is well sound and loves her. Having no sense of politics, the more she tried to reach “justice” the more she entangled herself in that position. Anna and Je Ha are each other’s solace that they find in the dark webs they are entangled with, the biggest factor being the “Queen” herself. All the Queen needed to do was be a damn Queen and get rid of the useless King early on in her life. She herself chose to remain in self-pity and egomaniacal herself to shut every reality glitch in life.

im just at the 3rd episode, but i totally agre, cs its not easy to br in the shoes of someone like Anna

An evil person can never be main lead. No matter who promotes it & how it gets promoted. Good prevails over evil. Do not be jealous of people. Compete with them fairly.

I love your review so so much! i love the chemistry between Yoo jin and Je Ha, they both would make a good couple in this show. I was hoping they both will be together throughout the whole show but was disappointed that Je Ha got together with Anna. But kdrama is always kdrama, they will always show what the audience wants to see. like main handsome actor is “supposed” to date a so call “young and pretty” lead actress =-=”

Yeah, I really think they should have followed the chemistry on this one. The main romance was kind of awkward.

The ramen scene was so awkward and extra. I hope there will be a remake for Je Ha and Yoo Jin.

I just finished my 3rd watch of this series. I’ve always appreciated the romance between the two main characters Je Ha and Goh An Na, but this time even more so. Je Ha was surrounded by evil, corruption, and greed. It was sickening. He had been fighting and running for a while it seems only to find himself stuck deep in it. Goh An Na was pure and innocent. I am very glad they did not create a romance between Yoo Jin and Je Ha. Yoo Jin and her husband ended up as they were because of miscommunication and distrust. It’s sad that they only found out when it was too late. Je Ha, from my perspective deserved something pure after the hell he had been in and through. He was not going to redeem Yoo Jin. I don’t usually comment on reviews, but since I literally just finished watching today and happened upon this review, I thought I’d add my two cents 🙂

Yes, I love both Anna and Je Ha together. Nice young couple

Comments are closed.

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The buddy movie hits the Himalayas in Franc Roddam's K2, an entertaining enough mountain-climbing saga [from the 1983 one-act play by Patrick Meyers]. Script's lack of oxygen is offset by pic's slick packaging plus good on-screen bonding between leads Michael Biehn and Matt Craven.

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The buddy movie hits the Himalayas in Franc Roddam’s K2, an entertaining enough mountain-climbing saga [from the 1983 one-act play by Patrick Meyers]. Script’s lack of oxygen is offset by pic’s slick packaging plus good on-screen bonding between leads Michael Biehn and Matt Craven.

Story rapidly sets up two main characters: yuppy, womanizing Seattle lawyer Biehn and gentler, married-with-child professor Craven. When a US climbing group funded by millionaire Raymond J. Barry loses two of its members in an Alaskan training session, Biehn and Craven take their place for the big one – an attempt on K2, the world’s second highest peak and a w.k. engorger of climbers.

Both thesps perform far better than the script deserves, with Biehn cocksure but likable, and Craven serious but caring. Barry is solid as the aging sponsor and Luca Bercovici ditto as Biehn’s nemesis.

Popular on Variety

There’s no attempt at any mystical relationship between the characters and the mountain. Pic concentrates instead on sheer thrills and spills, with plenty of product placement.

• Production: Trans Pacific. Director Franc Roddam; Producer Jonathan Taplin, Marilyn Weiner, Tim Van Rellim; Screenplay Patrick Meyers, Scott Roberts; Camera Gabriel Beristain; Editor Sean Barton; Music Hans Zimmer; Art Director Andrew Sanders
• Crew: (Color) Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1991. Running time: 111 MIN.
• With: Michael Biehn Matt Craven Raymond J. Barry Hiroshi Fujioka Luca Bercovici Patricia Charbonneau

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Keychron K2 HE review

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

The Keychron K2 HE combines two interesting things in a keyboard: magnetic switches and wood. Alright, that may seem like an odd combination, but that’s at least part of what makes this ‘board such a compelling choice for its $140 asking price.

First of all, let me address the wood on the sides of the K2 HE. This is part of the special edition package which I have here, and by jove is it lovely. It’s a natural rosewood that feels excellent if you’re weird and stroke the sides of your keyboard, and adds an aesthetic that I didn’t know I needed. Far too often, mechanical boards offer a very similar design with a mean black metal or plastic case, so to see something different with this K2 HE is especially welcome.

It’s got an almost Scandinavian quality to it, and come to think of it, would pair beautifully with a Fractal Design North, the makers of whom are, of course, Swedish—hej to you, too.

Besides the gorgeous rosewood edges, the K2 HE’s build quality is sublime. It is otherwise plastic, but offers some of the sturdiest I’ve tested on a keyboard at its price point. It’s solid and rigid, while also coming with no deck flex even if you tried to tear it to pieces. A 966g weight also keeps it especially hefty for a board with this small of a form factor, and it dwarfs the older K2’s sub 700g mass.

K2 HE specs

Switch type: Gateron HE Double Rail Keycaps: PBT, double-shot Lighting: RGB, dimmable on keyboard and controllable in software Onboard storage: None Extra ports: USB-C for charging Connection type: Wireless - Bluetooth/2.4 GHz receiver Cable: USB Type-C/USB Type-A, detachable Weight: 966 g/2.13 lbs Price: $140

The keycaps here are also lovely, with their taller OSA profile leaning into a more retro aesthetic that matches the rosewood finishing nicely. They’re comfortable to type on, being slightly rounded, and are comprised of doubleshot-moulded PBT plastic for an extra dose of quality finishing. I should also shout out the beige accent keycaps for the Esc and Return keys, which are a lovely touch, and the convenient I/O on the left side with selector switches for Windows or Mac operation and for connectivity method between Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz wireless, or wired.

And now to deal in the second part of that odd combo: the magnetic switches. These are right on trend with what we’re seeing with other keyboards from an array of manufacturers, with Keychron opting to go for Gateron Hall effect switches in the name of providing as snappy inputs as possible. These are Gateron’s new double rail Hall effect switches, which offer no real key wobble and benefit from being increasingly stable under finger.

For those unaware, Hall effect magnetic switches are slightly different to your standard mechanical options. In essence, it means they work via a magnet as opposed to more standard means. A magnet is sent down the switch’s stem to a sensor, where an input is then registered—there isn’t a defined actuation point with them, as such. This means that you can change the actuation point for each switch, so you can have snappy inputs for games, for instance, to provide you with a bit of a competitive edge.

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Customisation of said actuation points is handled with Keychron’s Launcher software which is actually a web-based configurator that runs in a browser window. This keeps life especially easy, and means the K2 HE can be customised on both Windows and macOS without a hitch. Here you can not only fiddle with actuation points on a scale from 0.5 mm to 3.8 mm of the switch’s total travel in super-precise 0.1 mm increments on a per-key basis, but you can also adjust RGB lighting to single colour and choose from a range of other presets. You can also remap keys and record macros, too. It’s especially easy to use, and wonderfully refreshing to see in a world where peripherals software in some cases might as well equate to bloatware at times.

Back to the switches themselves, though. The switches felt responsive for both day-to-day productivity workloads and for messing around with bots in Counter Strike 2, where you certainly feel the speed of adjustable actuation points. For the WASD keys and weapon select keys, I set the actuation point as high as possible (0.5 mm), and it’s almost as if you barely need to breathe to register the input.That’s especially useful in quick draw scenarios where you need to bring a weapon out or throw a grenade as quickly as possible.

They are also pre-lubricated, so benefit from being as smooth as you like. It also has the knock-on effect of meaning that the K2 HE, much like the dearer Keychron Q3 Max , sounds gorgeous. It’s probably one of the best-sounding keyboards I’ve used with a creamy sound profile (God, I hate saying that) accompanied by no case rattle or ping.

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✅ You want a keyboard with style: Keychron’s K2 HE impresses with its fantastic build quality and its ounces of style, helped along by its use of rosewood in the special edition model.

Don't buy if...

❌ You don’t want Hall effect switches: If the speediness of HE switches aren’t what you need, then the standard K2 is a fantastic choice for just shy of half of this HE model.

Technically, the K2 HE is also hot-swappable, although much like the Endgame Gear KB65HE and Wooting 60HE+, the choice of switches you can swap in is minuscule. Not even all of Gateron’s other Hall effect switch models are compatible.

Elsewhere, the K2 HE also benefits from excellent wireless connectivity across both Bluetooth and its bundled 2.4 GHz wireless receiver. It worked on either method without an issue on both Windows and macOS, while pairing with the Fn key and 1, 2, 3 or 4 on the number row is convenient. The 4000 mAh battery inside is also rather large for a keyboard of this size, and powers the K2 HE for up to 72 hours with the vivid backlighting on. Turn it off, and that rises to 240 hours, which is excellent endurance.

So, the Keychron K2 HE then. This is an excellent keyboard that brings a lot of style to proceedings while also feeling responsive with its Hall effect switches. It brings a lot of noteworthy improvements against the standard K2 that has lived on our list of the best gaming keyboards for several years. At $140 for this special edition, it’s a compelling choice for those who want a blend of style and substance, as opposed to the traditional dilemma of picking one over the other. Against other HE boards too, you’re getting the benefit of more interesting looks, convenient wireless connectivity and simple software. That seems like more than a fair deal.

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‘k2: siren of the himalayas’: film review.

Challenging terrain for a debut doc

By THR Staff

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K2: SIREN OF THE HIMALAYAS Still - H 2014

Though it’s a bit shorter than Everest, the mountain known as K2 is far more deadly: Its 25 percent death-to-summit ratio (what kind of lunatic “sport” requires the invention of such terms?) makes it one of the world’s biggest challenges even for veteran climbers. So why not choose it as the setting for your first stab at filmmaking? Dave Ohlson does just that in K2: Siren of the Himalayas , an account of one modern expedition that draws fruitfully upon the lore of another. Given its level of procedural detail, the film will play best with viewers who are serious about the sport themselves; but novices who come across it on TV or video will likely be caught up as well.

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Ignoring an unsuccessful attempt made in 1902, the film cites a 1909 expedition led by the Duke of the Abruzzi as the first major expedition trying to reach this peak; that effort is paired with a 2009 trip whose members include Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner , National Geographic’s 2012 “Explorer of the Year.” Though the back-and-forth focus between these trips might initially seem a centennial contrivance, it proves to be the film’s key asset: That trip was documented not only by fine photography but by doctor-explorer Filippo De Filippi ‘s transporting written account, whose prose brings Ohlson’s new footage to life. In describing the moods and behavior of this “gigantic and solitary” mountain that is “jealously protected” by other peaks, De Filippi left the kind of document that, even without photographs, might have inspired Westerners to travel to Pakistan to meet its challenge.

The Bottom Line Beautiful mountaineering film gets big boost from historical material

Ohlson’s present-day heroes, while hardly as colorful on screen as De Filippi’s narration, are a likeable and persistent bunch, one of whom adds up his previous attempts to reach K2’s summit and realizes he’s spent, cumulatively, about a year of his life on the mountain and surrounding glacier. Arriving in the shadow of a tragedy that killed 11 climbers in 2008, their own trip would begin with death: On the first day in camp, they witness a skier’s fatal accident and help his partner get the body home.

What follows is an unromantic view of this group’s labor, following the mechanics of their many weeks of work and (no spoilers here) acknowledging that knowing when to turn back is an essential part of mountaineering. Judging from the wealth of splendid views the camera captures, even a climber who never got past the first or second stage would have an experience justifying De Filippi’s rhapsodies.

Production companies: Roped In Productions, Ursus Films, 2R Productions Director: Dave Ohlson Producers: Dave Ohlson, Jason Reid, Andy McDonough Director of photography: Dave Ohlson Editors: Jason Reid, Darren Lund Music: Jonathan Haidle No rating, 74 minutes  

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Keychron K2 HE Review: The perfect mechanical keyboard for Mac users

Find a better mac mechanical keyboard for under $150. i'll wait..

iMore Verdict

The Keychron K2 HE is a very solid mechanical keyboard at a competitive price point and it matches the Mac ecosystem perfectly thanks to its clean and thoughtful design. For under $150, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend your hard-earned cash.

Apple aesthetic

Gorgeous sound

Good to go straight out of the box

Wooden side panels are divisive

No way to open up

Won’t ship until November

You can always trust iMore. Our team of Apple experts have years of experience testing all kinds of tech and gadgets, so you can be sure our recommendations and criticisms are accurate and helpful. Find out more about how we test.

• Price and availability
• What I love
• What I don’t love
• Competition
• Should you buy it?

At iMore we love Keychron’s mechanical keyboard offerings. From the company’s most premium options like the Q1 Pro to the more affordable K2 model. This time, Keychron is back with a new K2 HE mechanical keyboard that looks to expand on the iconic design of the K2 and fit perfectly into your desktop Mac experience. With a lower price point and fewer customization options than Keychron’s flagship models, is the K2 HE worth a spot on your desk?

Keychron K2 HE: Price and availability

The Keychron K2 HE is available in black and white, both options finished with real wooden sides to complement the metal frame. The K2 HE is currently available on Kickstarter for $125 ($130 once fully released) with expected delivery in November, and will be available to purchase on Keychron’s website and Amazon later in the year.

Keychron K2 HE: What I love

The Keychron K2 HE takes everything from its popular predecessor and makes it better. Straight out of the box, you’ll find a mechanical keyboard that not only looks right at home next to your Mac but also sounds and feels way above its price bracket. The K2 HE is a fantastic example of just how far the mechanical keyboard world has come over the last few years. $125 bags you one of the best typing experiences under $150, with a full-bodied sound that you would’ve needed to pay hundreds of dollars for in the past.

The metal frame combined with the wooden sides is a nice change from Keychron’s full-metal Q-series keyboards and has a welcoming design for anyone looking to purchase their first mechanical keyboard. Mac users will find all of the familiar keys such as option and command, and the function row shortcuts are identical to those found on the Magic Keyboard.

I love Keychron keyboards and the K2 HE gives an experience I’ve come to expect in products closer to $200 for way less. Everything you’d want in a Mac’s mechanical keyboard is here: A nice sound, a clean look, RGB lighting, a premium build, Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, and wired connectivity options. It’s a complete package.

In my Keychron Q1 HE review , I explained the benefits of the Gateron magnetic switches so if you’d like to read more I advise heading over to that article. The same switches are found here, allowing you to fully customize the accentuation point (the amount of press required to activate the key switch). The K2 HE is also hot-swappable so if you choose to use a different set of switches, you can easily remove the magnetic Gaterons with the tool included in the box.

Keychron K2 HE: What I don’t love

There isn’t much to not like in this Keychron K2 HE package — it ticks all the right boxes and gives you a great bang for your buck. Ideally, you wouldn’t have to wait until November for the keyboard to ship — it would’ve been nice to see stock readily available — but that’s just the way most mechanical keyboard production works.

Another issue you might find if you intend to upgrade the keyboard at any point is the lack of screws in the bottom of the chassis. I haven’t tried to take the Keychron K2 HE apart but it looks like you’ll be unable to modify the internals because the bottom plastic enclosure is sealed shut. That said, if you don’t intend to add internal foam or make other modifications, you’ll never need to open up the keyboard.

Keychron K2 HE: Competition

There are plenty of mechanical keyboards on offer at different price points. Keychron’s Q1 HE is a more premium option than the K2 HE, but it’ll set you back closer to $200 for a full metal enclosure and the ability to open it up from the bottom. 

Elsewhere you might be able to grab a Keychron Q1 Pro at a discounted price as it doesn’t have the fancy new magnetic Gateron switches. Closer to the K2 HE’s $130 price tag is our current choice for the best mechanical keyboard for Mac , the NuPhy Halo 75 .

Keychron K2 HE: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if….

• You want a mechanical keyboard that matches your Mac
• You care about magnetic switches for gaming
• You’re looking for a mechanical keyboard that feels awesome to type on

You shouldn’t buy this if…

• You want to modify your keyboard
• You don’t like the wooden rail design
• You aren’t fussed about modifying the accentuation point of the switches

Keychron K2 HE: Verdict

I’m thoroughly impressed with the Keychron K2 HE. It’s a very solid mechanical keyboard at a competitive price point and it matches the Mac ecosystem perfectly thanks to its clean and thoughtful design. For under $150, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend your hard-earned cash.

Bottom line:  The Keychron K2 HE is a very solid mechanical keyboard at a competitive price point and it matches the Mac ecosystem perfectly thanks to its clean and thoughtful design. For under $150, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better way to spend your hard-earned cash.

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019.  John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit. 

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• Movies & TV
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• Action & Adventure

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K2 (Feature)

• Prime Video $3.69 — $14.09
• DVD from $22.37
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Product Description

With breathtaking scenery and some of the most awe-inspiring climbing sequences ever captured on film, K2 takes you to the edge of the world—and into the face of sheer adventure. Despite being complete opposites, Taylor ( Michael Biehn ) and Harold ( Matt Craven ) are firm friends who share an intense passion for mountain climbing. But when they jump at the chance for the ultimate adventure—scaling K2, the second highest mountain on Earth—Taylor and Harold find themselves battling for their lives. Known for being one of the deadliest climbs in the world, the duo must hold on for dear life as they try to beat the odds and conquer the summit...before it conquers them.

Product details

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches; 2.4 ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Franc Roddam
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Multiple Formats, Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 44 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ May 8, 2012
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Michael Biehn, Matt Craven
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007AFBYYY
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• #11,329 in Action & Adventure DVDs

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 69% 18% 8% 3% 2% 69%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 69% 18% 8% 3% 2% 18%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 69% 18% 8% 3% 2% 8%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 69% 18% 8% 3% 2% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 69% 18% 8% 3% 2% 2%

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The story of the deadliest day on the world's most dangerous mountain, when 11 climbers mysteriously perished on K2. The story of the deadliest day on the world's most dangerous mountain, when 11 climbers mysteriously perished on K2. The story of the deadliest day on the world's most dangerous mountain, when 11 climbers mysteriously perished on K2.

• Mark Monroe
• Christine Barnes
• Hoselito Bite
• Walter Bonatti
• 41 User reviews
• 45 Critic reviews
• 63 Metascore
• 3 wins & 5 nominations

Top cast 25

• Cecilie Skog
• (archive footage)
• Self - Climber
• Fredrik Strang …
• Self - Ger's Brother
• Marco Confortola
• (as Christo Mitzkov)

• Ger McDonnell
• (as Lochlainn O'Mearain)
• Wilco van Rooijen
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Won Best Feature film at 2013 BANFF film festival. The award was accepted on behalf of the film makers by Norwegian adventurer Cecilie Skog, who is featured in the film.
• Crazy credits The title of the movie does not show until about 15 minutes into the film.

User reviews 41

• Oct 16, 2013
• How long is The Summit? Powered by Alexa
• November 22, 2013 (Ireland)
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official site
• Döden på K2
• K2, Karakoram Mountain Range, Pakistan (Aerial Sequences)
• Fantastic Films
• Passion Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $1,000,000 (estimated)
• Oct 6, 2013

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 35 minutes

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