Take the ride!

”Most people lost in the wild die of shame.” – Anthony Hopkins, as Charles, in The Edge.

1997 was quite a busy year for the Hollywood dream factories. It was the year that saw the punters lining up outside their local megaplexes to enjoy such big-name releases as Goodwill Hunting, Jackie Brown, As Good As It Gets, and the biggest name of them all, Titanic. Whilst our heads were turned to watch its hyped-up cousins, a film by the name of The Edge slipped quietly in for a brief season. Little did most of us know what a quality piece of entertainment we’d missed!

At face value, The Edge appears destined to be tossed into the often boring and melodramatic sub-genre of man-against-nature – a little genre that’s terribly tired and was of limited appeal to begin with anyway. How many lost-in-the-bush movies can a person enjoy? Well, I’m here to tell you, my good friends, that The Edge is more than you expect. Yes, it’s a lost-in-the-bush film, but one with a difference. Read on!

Take me there, Joe! (the plot)

Charles Morse (Anthony ‘Are the lambs still crying, Clarice’ Hopkins) is an aging billionaire. He’s spent his life building a business empire, and has all the trappings of success, including a much younger super model for a wife (played by Elle ‘The Body’ Macpherson). Rather than the brashness and arrogance of your stereotypical billionaire, Charles is a pensive, introspective type. ‘Measured’, would be the best word to describe him.

After succumbing to his young wife’s playful badgering, Charles has accompanied her to the wilderness of Alaska for a photo shoot. Along with Charles and Mickey (yes, her name’s Mickey Morse of all things!) are up-and-coming fashion photographer Bob Green (Alec Baldwin) and his lackeys.

At a hunting lodge in the middle of the far north nowhere, the team fall into their natural roles. While Bob and Mickey are off down by the lake clicking and posing respectively, Charles mooches around the lodge reading a book, keeping to himself. All’s peaceful except for one thing. Our man Charles suspects that his pretty young missus and Bob are riding the hobbyhorse behind his back. Rather than being able to dismiss the idea, the thought begins to play increasingly on the billionaire’s mind.

Frustrated with the artistic opportunities at the lodge, Bob snatches a photograph of a wild looking old Indian bloke off the wall and insists that he needs that sort of subject matter in his photos as well as Mickey the super-wuzzle. The lodge’s owner informs Bob that the old Indian can be found further north, way out in the boonies. Without further ado Bob’s got his camera under his arm and is organizing for a seaplane. Charles, at his slinky wife’s suggestion, decides to accompany Bob, his assistant, and the pilot on the flight north.

The flight north and the search for the old photogenic Indian is scenic and all the players in the little plane are subdued. Charles shaking himself from his thoughts, leans over to Bob and asks the paranoid question of the moment.

So, how do you plan to do it? How do you plan to kill me?

As we wait for Bob’s reply, watching his facial mannerisms closely, the plane suddenly plows into a flock of birds. Birds plow through the windscreen, and into the engine, sending the plane down in a hurry. Everyone’s squealing and panicking as best they can, when they plunge into an icy lake.

The pilot didn’t make it, but Charles, Bob, and the photographic assistant (male) drag their freezing selves to the shore and take stock of their situation. It’s clear that nobody knows exactly where they are, and that they’re lost in the cold Alaskan wilderness. The only thing to be done is to walk out. So, armed with a pocketknife and a compass made out of a paperclip, Charles leads the way in the direction he thinks is south.

In addition to a lack of food, and a punishing climate, our three boys find themselves being pursued by a gigantic man-eating Kodiak bear (played by Bart the Bear). However, as busy as they are staying alive, it doesn’t stop Charles from toying with his theory that Bob wants him dead.

Are Bob and Mickey really banging the barn door? Or is Charlie adding paranoia to his achievements? Even if Bob is playing postman with Charlie’s missus, would he really kill the old man? Do our lads get out of their icy predicament? So, many juicy questions will be answered by watching The Edge. I wont be spoiling it on you.

What makes this film work?

Screenwriter David Mamet and Director Lee Tamahori (of Once Were Warriors fame) give us a well above average action-adventure flick in The Edge. It’s got all the stuff that an adventure freak could wish for. Of particular note is the running conflict between our team of city boys and the monstrous bear. You find yourself there with the lads as they wave their skinny wooden spears at the brute.

However, what raises the stakes and makes every scene sizzle with energy is the tension between Charles and Bob. They’re a study in contrast. Charles is old, rich, and an introverted outsider. Bob, on the other hand, is young, resentful of Charles’ wealth, and a cocky extrovert. Placed between these two characters, or at least in Charles’ mind, is the trophy figure of the to-die-for Mickey.

A love of drama and of action has allowed Tamahori to make an amazingly intense film in The Edge. Tamahori fans familiar with Once Were Warriors will notice similarities in the films energy levels, if not in its scenery.

The acting

Anthony Hopkins is one of the few sure things floating around in the acting pool. He proves it once again in The Edge. Such is his class that he not only handles the drama aspect of this film with considerable skill, but also the action/adventure element. Flavoring his entire performance is his ability to convincingly portray himself as a billionaire; a rare and multi-faceted creature. Full marks once again for Hopkins.

The second major player in The Edge is, of course, Bob, played by Alec Baldwin. Alec Baldwin as a slightly campy fashion photographer? Alec Baldwin in a role where he doesn’t get to be in control of his environment? Yes, my miscast siren went off initially as well. However, to his enormous credit, he performs perfectly. He becomes Bob, the up and coming fashion photographer from New York, who’s more use to cab drivers being rude to him than he is being chased by a man-killing Kodiak bear. As an added bonus, you get to see this Baldwin boy’s normally immaculate hair looking like yours first thing in the morning.

The third and final actor of note, is Aussie Elle Macpherson. Well, being a fellow Aussie, I can hardly slag her off, can I? Suffice to say that Elle plays Elle. She stands around and looks like sex. Enough said.

Joe’s Top 5 Hi-lights

5. The tension between Charles and Bob. Hey, Mickey is Charles’ wuzzle, so what’s Bob doing sniffing around? Then again, if you were in Bob’s position, wouldn’t you want a sniff too?

4. Anthony Hopkins. He’s a marvel to watch. He’s subtle, but mesmerizing with what he brings to the screen.

3. The dialogue between Charles and Bob. You can imagine the conversation that two intense rivals can have when they’re relying on each for their lives out there in the wilderness.

2. (an extension of #5) For the blokes…you get to experience the fine line between pleasure and pain that exists when you’re married to a supermodel. Would you have time to enjoy her in between worrying about losing her?

1. The scenery. You could turn the sound down and still get a kick out of The Edge. The cinematography is captivating as it takes us on a journey through the pristine Alaskan wilderness.

The final word

To blurt out all of the above in one sentence…The Edge is the thinking person’s action adventure. All the thrills and spills of, say, Cliffhanger, but with the welcome addition of a riveting human drama. The drama is of such a high quality that it’s carried off for the most part by just two actors.

There isn’t an excessive amount of cursing, gratuitous violence, or any nudity (much to my disappointment!) in The Edge. It didn’t need it. Therefore, this one is family safe. Early teens will enjoy the action even if the clash of wills between Charles and Bob zips over their heads.

I’ve viewed The Edge three times now since first catching it on cable a few years ago, and it’s never failed to entertain. Check it out for yourself.

Cheers for reading.

~Joe