“Infinite Storm” makes it clear thatNaomi Wattssuffers for her art. She struggles through bone-chilling cold, sloshes through snow, wades across icy streams and takes some mighty falls. All this for a paper-thin but gorgeously shot survivalist drama.
The film, in theaters on Friday, March 25, is based on a real-life incident that occurred on New Hampshire’s notoriously tricky Mount Washington in 2010, in which Pam Bales (Watts) encounters an underdressed hiker (Billy Howle) who is near death, possibly unprepared for the worsening conditions. (Mount Washington “is justly famed for its weather extremes,” according to theWhite Mountains Visitors Center, which advises visitors to “bring extra clothing.”)
Turns out both Pam and the hiker are recovering from emotional pain as well as the physical pain imposed by the elements. We don’t quite know the source of Pam’s problems until much later, but before setting out on her hike she tells her best friend (Denis O’Hare) that it is “cheaper than therapy; the mountains always listen, and they don’t talk back.”
Too bad the mountains don’t talk — Joshua Rollins’ screenplay could use the honest dialogue.
The film is focused on the rugged terrain rather than the rugged emotional backstory, of which there are mostly hints. And it’s not as if it’s a running-time issue. In an era where every film seems to be nearly three hours, “Infinite Storm” clocks in at a brisk 97 minutes. That can be the perfect running time for some films, but when so much is missing character-wise, it might have helped if the movie went longer.
Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska(“The Other Lamb”)directs for the big screen, with eye-pleasing mountain visuals (the Slovenian Alps sub for Mount Washington) and a well-executed adventure. But when the setting is in civilization, the drama grinds to a halt.
If nothing else, “Infinite Storm” is an invaluable reminder to是之前的pared among the elements.Most hiking deaths, whether in the snowy mountains, dense forest or scorching deserts, are due to a lack of preparation and training. (The real Pam Bales now works as a rescue volunteer for parks in the Southwestern U.S. in a territory that includes the Grand Canyon.)
Most of the humanity comes from Watts’ gritty performance. Her Pam suggests an inner journey, observing that “even in a storm, even through the pain, even in the cold, there is so much beauty.”
Mental health is also a burgeoning problem, even among us non-hikers. To address that, you need much more than thermal clothing and a well-equipped backpack.
L“Infinite Storm”:Drama. Starring Naomi Watts, Billy Howle and Denis O’Hare. Directed by Malgorzata Szumowska. (R. 97 minutes.) In theaters Friday, March 25.