The Edge [Blu-ray]

Director: Lee Tamahori Lee Tamahori

Overview

Bookish billionaire Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) and his supermodel wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) head to the Alaskan wilderness for a photo shoot. They stay in a beautifully appointed lodge along with prominent fashion reporter Robert Green (Alec Baldwin). Despite the apparent devotion of his wife and the camaraderie of Robert, Charles watches them carefully; his suspicions remain unspoken. Deciding that they require the presence of a certain Indian to complete the shoot, Robert, his assistant Stephan (Harold Perrineau) and Charles board a private plane and fly off to find him. The plane crashes in a glacial lake and the three are stranded deep within the hinterlands, surrounded by ferocious Kodiak bears and other outdoor dangers. Just before they go down, Charles reveals his suspicions when he coldly asks Robert a surprising question. After struggling ashore and building a fire, the men assess their dire situation. Though Robert and Stephan are more physically fit, Charles' calm wit and ingenuity proves the key to their survival, especially after a ferocious bear brutally kills Stephan. Robert and Charles' odyssey becomes more urgent when they discover that the bear is now stalking them. Playwright/screenwriter David Mamet's intelligent, witty script -- originally titled "The Bookworm" -- and Lee Tamahori's tight direction effectively contrast the expansive, ruthless beauty of the Alaskan wilderness with an almost claustrophobic focus on the simmering relationship between the two protagonists, making this well-crafted film a surprising, sometimes scary work that lacks the gaping plot holes that characterize other late '90s thrillers. Whereas a lesser thriller would have painted Charles and Robert in broad strokes of black and white, here they are complex, three-dimensional characters who make mistakes in learning to adapt and to master their fright. Throughout the ordeal, it becomes obvious that both men are as much friends as they are enemies. Despite the many obstacles, Charles and Robert are almost ludicrously civil to each other, leaving viewers wondering when or if the pair's underlying tension will explode. Hopkins, again proves himself an extraordinary actor, able to speak volumes with only an expression and his icy blue eyes. Baldwin, while not quite as accomplished, also manages to realistically essay Robert's moral turmoil.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/11/2010
UPC:	0024543657866
Original Release:	1997
Rating:	R
Source:	20TH CENTURY FOX
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:57:00
Sales rank:	933

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Anthony Hopkins	Charles Morse
Alec Baldwin	Robert Green
Elle Macpherson	Mickey Morse
Harold Perrineau	Stephen
L.Q. Jones	Styles
Kathleen Wilhoite	Ginny
David Lindstedt	James
Mark Kiely	Mechanic
Gordon Tootoosis	Jack Hawk
Eli Gabay	Jet Pilot
Larry Musser	Amphibian Pilot
Brian Arnold	Reporter
Kelsa Kinsly	Reporter
Bob Boyd	Reporter
Brian Steele	Bear Double
Bart the Bear	the bear
Jerry Goldsmith	Composer

Technical Credits

David Mamet

Lee Tamahori	Director
David Mamet	Screenwriter
Art Linson	Producer
Kent Houston	Special Effects
Donna Isaacson	Casting
Lloyd Phillips	Executive Producer
Betty Thomas	Stunts
Mike Vezina	Special Effects
Andrea Adams	Special Effects
Paul Apted	Sound Effects
David A. Arnold	Sound Effects
James Ashwill	Sound Effects
Eric Batut	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Bill W. Benton	Sound Effects

Editorial Reviews

A visceral thriller set in the rugged Alaskan wilderness, The Edge augments its man-against-nature theme with complications deriving from human fear and treachery. Things get off to a shaky start when middle-aged billionaire Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) accompanies his supermodel trophy wife, Mickey (Elle Macpherson), on a shoot staged by smug photographer Robert Green (Alec Baldwin) and his weak-willed assistant, Steven (Harold Perrineau). When their sightseeing trip ends with a plane crash in a dense, remote forest, the three men are forced to rely on each other while finding their way back to civilization -- but distrust rears its ugly head and eventually pits moneybags against shutterbugs. As the bookish intellectual whose superior knowledge makes him a formidable survivalist, Hopkins is perfectly cast and extremely effective. Baldwin, likewise, is well suited to the role of the arrogant photographer. David Mamet’s script isn’t very strong on character motivation, and some of the situations strain credulity, but Mamet’s dialogue is characteristically terse and biting. The muscular direction of Lee Tamahori (Along Came a Spider) keeps things moving at a slam-bang pace and wrings every drop of suspense from the characters’ predicaments -- especially their pursuit by a huge, incensed Kodiak bear. The Edge is well titled: That’s the part of the chair on which you’ll be perched for the duration of this unbearably tense flick.