The Summit of Gods

The Summit of Gods is a French animated adventure-drama film, released in 2021. Directed by Patrick Imbert and based on Jiro Taniguchi's manga series of the same name, this film is a mesmeric blend of mountain climbing, deep introspection, and a thrilling exploration of human endurance.

The movie begins as we follow the curious and tenacious French photojournalist, Francois, voiced by Lazare Herson-Macarel. François is decisively intrigued by the enigmatic world of mountain climbing and the escalating race to ascend the world's deadliest summit - the mystic and horrifically fascinating Mount Everest. Whilst on the quest to document this audacious challenge, Francois stumbles upon an old and supposedly lost camera that reputedly belongs to George Mallory, an English mountaineer who vanished on Everest in 1924 and whose fate has never been determined. This chance discovery leads François on a tantalizing trail, deep into the nuanced world of high-altitude mountaineering and the captivating legends it has fostered.

Francois then meets the elusive Jonathan, voiced by Eric Herson-Macarel, an accomplished climber but a wounded soul, enigmatic and driven by a private torment that lends an added edge to his pursuit of the summit. Their shared obsession with mountain climbing, the irresistible allure of Everest, and the tantalizing mystery surrounding Mallory's fate draw them into an unexpected but powerful bond. The shared mission for glory becomes both a test of their physical perseverance and a relentless psychological duel.

Damien Boisseau voices Habu Joji, another intriguing character who embodies the paradox that often underlies extreme sports. The roles of these three central characters and their complex interrelations give life and depth to the tale, reminding us that mountain climbing is not just about physical strength and stamina, but also about willpower, courage, and psychological rigor.

The Summit of Gods stands out in the realm of animated films for being emphatically adult-oriented. It does not shy away from presenting the agonizing hardships, terrifying dangers, and consuming obsessions that characterize high-altitude mountaineering. This film targets the realm of the high-stakes, obsessed, and even self-destructive pursuit of human glory, where climbers are willing to risk everything in the tormenting, almost hypnotic appeal of the mountain.

The animation in The Summit of Gods is beautifully crafted and enchanting in itself. It creates a visually stunning depiction of the Himalayas, combining grandeur, desolation, and beauty in a haunting and thrilling blend. The terrifying majesty of the world’s highest peak and the death-defying allure of the ‘zone of death’ are rendered in all their eerie and beautiful glory. The Summit also stands out for the exceptional attention paid to the characters' expressions, capturing their evolving mental states, emotions, and determination - adding depth to the storytelling.

Equally critical to the film's impact is the sound design, which dramatically captures the sounds of daunting gusts of wind, cracking ice, and snow crunching underfoot in the relentless cold and rarefied air. This enhances the characters' tension and contributes to the creation of an intense, immersive atmosphere of danger and beauty.

In essence, The Summit of Gods is a riveting exploration of the mystique of Mount Everest and the profound human fascination with overcoming the insurmountable. It encapsulates the spirit and the dangers of mountaineering while narrating an empathetic human story of obsession, comradeship, determination and loss. The film raises provocative questions about the true nature of achievement, the lure of danger, and the high costs of glory.

Despite its visually stunning representation of the natural world, The Summit of Gods is less a film about mountain climbing and more a film about human grit, obsession, and the pursuit of an abstract sense of glory. In its arresting animation style and nuanced plot progression, it takes its viewers on an intense journey that is as much emotional and psychological as it is physical.