Touching the Void

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Touching the Void

R

Released Sep 5, 2003

1h 47m

Adventure

Drama

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

135 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson (Brendan Mackey) and Simon Yates (Nicholas Aaron), set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. They succeed, and the two embark on the treacherous descent down the mountain -- only to meet with disaster when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson's likely death.

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Critics Consensus

Gripping even though the outcome is known.

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Sheila Norman-Culp

Associated Press

In the right hands, a docudrama can deliver all the excitement, emotion and storytelling of the very best feature films -- and director Kevin Macdonald has done that with startling clarity in the mountaineering adventure Touching the Void.

Jan 23, 2019

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Excruciatingly tense story of a terrible accident.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 29, 2010

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Touching the Void leaves you emotionally and physically spent, and grateful it was only a movie, not a mountain, you had to endure.

Mar 26, 2007

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

"Void" plummets into the nucleus of instinct and consciousness - survival a near-primordial pursuit beyond bravery or weakness. It concocts no comfort about what was gained, but stares in transfixed, unforgettable awe at the horror of all that was lost.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 4, 2010

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

"Touching the Void" towers above the rest of that rarest of all film genres, the docudrama.

Rated: A+

Aug 9, 2009

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Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

This harrowing, white-knuckle tale of human endurance and gut-wrenching dilemma mingles the dramatization of these events and interviews with both climbers into an unforgettable, sometimes comically deadpan nightmare.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 7, 2008

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Deborah S.

I’ve seen it three times and will be watching it again tonight. The best mountain climbing survival movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/05/25

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Stephen C

Real footage in 1 hour and 47 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated R for Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In British English with American English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $4,600,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/25

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Zoe M

Brilliantly executed movie. What a story!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/24

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Jason R

Phenomenal, gut-wrenching film that occasionally veers into torture-porn territory. Absolutely worth a watch, but not for the faint of heart.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

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Hei Det E

What starts out as an "ordinary" trip between two seasoned mountain climbers evolves into an amalgamation of nature's will, human perseverance - and a survival of the elements - and the will of both human and nature's will - to explore both their highest highs and their deepest depths - as humanity face the quite awesome nature of their supposed 'undertaking'. An overwhelming tale of tragedy, misfortune, luck - more misfortune - and THEN SOME. A fantastic movie that should be in everyone's "To watch" list. Unless they've already been snowblinded by the fantastic premise this movie has to offer. An utter piece of perfection.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/24

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Les N

Was anyone else waiting for this to end....please!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

Full Review

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Kevin Macdonald

Director

Brendan Mackey

Joe Simpson

Nicholas Aaron

Simon Yates

Richard Hawking

Self

Joe Simpson

Self

Simon Yates

Self

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Synopsis

In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson (Brendan Mackey) and Simon Yates (Nicholas Aaron), set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. They succeed, and the two embark on the treacherous descent down the mountain -- only to meet with disaster when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson's likely death.

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Producer: John Smithson
Screenwriter: Joe Simpson
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: FilmFour, UK Film Council, Darlow Smithson Productions
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Documentary
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 5, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.6M
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Surround