Infinite Storm
After seeing the trailer for Infinite Storm, I expected it to be an adrenaline rush with compelling dramatic moments and dialogue. Naomi Watts is one of my favorite actresses, so I was all in on this one. The cinematography is beautiful along with the landscapes that the film was shot in. I believed Naomi in this role, that wasn’t the issue I had with this film. The dominant issue was how boring the film actually is and how it drags.
This is based on a true story about expert hiker Pam Bales (Naomi Watts) who goes on an advanced level hike through New Hampshire’s Mount Washington State Park. As a dangerous snowstorm starts to set in, she decides to turn back. But, when she notices sneaker footprints going towards a perilous mountain cliff edge, she instinctively follows them and discovers a man (Billy Howle) sitting there with his eyes closed wearing only shorts, no hat, fingerless gloves, sneakers, and a light weight jacket. Realizing immediately, he is hypothermic and will die, she commits to getting him down the mountain alive, which becomes a race against time and the challenges of the rugged landscape if they will make it or not.
Thematically the film deals with important topics such as death, suicidal ideation, survivor’s guilt. In addition, how a single person’s actions can help someone feel connected again to themselves and that their existence matters. But also, in the aftermath of a death of a loved one beauty and hope also still exist.
The bulk of the film is them trying to get down the mountain and the various setbacks that continuously keep happening. The introduction to Pam is fast paced through the design of her home, quick dialogue providing a sliver of her history, and flashes of memories along the hike of her past. Based on all of this information Pam is a strong independent woman who is an experienced hiker, single, and there is a loss she is struggling with, but it is mysterious as to the specifics surrounding it. In regards to the man, later known as John, all we know is he doesn’t want to be rescued. Due to the minimal setup and still not getting to know either character till the end of the film I didn’t care about their journey. The middle drags due to how repetitive the dialogue and the conflict between Pam and John is. I wish I would have fast forwarded through the middle.
Right now, Infinite Storm is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video for $20. I would skip this one.