If you crave a movie based on high pressure situations, and you're sick of an action hero defusing a bomb as it ticks down to one second, then The Edge is a movie for you. The Edge is a fast paced, witty thriller with a superb cast and a highly intelligent storyline.
With an excellent cast, The Edge, starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, tells the story of a group of men struggling for survival after their plane crashes in a remote area of dense forest in Alaska. It portrays the triumphs and disappointments of living off the land, trying to scavenge for food and shelter, hoping for rescue. If that isn't hard enough, they're also being pursued by a 500 pound, man-eating Kodiak bear.
Charles Morse, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a billionaire bookworm who has been studying a book called "Lost in the Wild," given to him by his secretary before leaving for Alaska with his supermodel wife (Elle Macpherson) for a photo shoot. Photographer Robert Green (Alec Baldwin) is a talented photographer, who is a good "friend" of Charles. Charles actually believes that his wife is having an affair with Green.
After reaching the lodge along a lake in Alaska where the shoot is to take place, Charles, Robert, and Robert's assistant Stephen (Harold Perrineau) set out another 20 miles in the plane to find a photogenic hunter who lives at a lake nearby.
When their plane crashes into the river, the survivors are on their own to hike back to civilization. Charles, armed with a million and one before-useless facts about living in the wild, has never had a reason to use them before now. Stephen and Bob just want to get out of this situation alive, so they obey Charles' every command. The plot thickens when the three are stalked by hungry (and persistent) Kodiak bear. In the end, we see that the real danger comes not from nature, but from fear, treachery, and quite possibly even murder. "Anyone who dies in the wild dies from shame."
Anthony Hopkins once again plays the part flawlessly. Baldwin adds one of his best performances in a long time as well. The bear, played by "Bart," is no stranger to the big screen, either. He has appeared in "The Bear" and "Legends of the Fall."
What I really enjoyed was the way that it didn't turn out to be a "One has the brains, the other to brawn. Together, they..." Baldwin's character wants to kill Morse and marry his wife, and share her inheritance. The only problem is, he can't do so because Morse is his only chance for survival.
The Edge keeps on The Edge of your seat. It also includes all kinds of clever tips and information (not all necessarily true) on living off the land. A high recommendation from me. What evil lurks in the hearts of men? Go see The Edge.
-Ethan Kaplan
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9/28/97