THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS

This intriguing but at times unfocused animated tale could have used an extra boost to truly lure you into the narrative.

The Himalayan vistas animated movie The Summit of the Gods paints on the screen leave you gasping for air as much as the mountaineers at the centre of this intriguing but at times unfocused tale.

Based on a Japanese comic book, the picture interweaves three different stories. The main one features a photo reporter in search of an incredible scoop. The second one recounts the turbulent backstory of the fabled climber who is to be the subject of his article. And the third goes all the way back to legendary mountaineer George Mallory, who might have been the first man to scale Mount Everest.

While this undoubtedly makes for a fascinating film, it also makes it a disjointed one, with the filmmakers failing to find a compelling common theme beyond the rather vague, intangible desire that drives people to push their boundaries on dangerous mountain tops.

Despite the craft that went into the excellent animation, The Summit of the Gods thus remains a little too light on both excitement and emotion to stake a genuine claim as a truly memorable piece of animation.

release: 2021

director: Patrick Imbert

starring: Lazare Herson-Macarel, Eric Herson-Macarel, Damien Boisseau, Elisabeth Ventura