I will never forget the first time I viewed Frank Marshall’s 1993 survivalist drama Alive. The film chronicles the true story of the Uruguayan rugby team whose flight crashed into the Andes mountains in the winter of 1972. This served as my first introduction to the great Ethan Hawke (who is one of my all-time favorites). The film possessed my five or six-year-old self with its thrilling depiction of human resilience. Yet, somehow, Director J.A. Bayona’s (The Impossible, The Orphanage) Society of the Snow, a Spanish-language (and historically and ethically accurate) retelling of the same event, surpasses its Hollywood predecessor in every conceivable way.
It is a haunting, poetic, and harrowingly realized biopic that takes the form of a pulse-pounding thriller. It is an adrenaline rush that holds viewers in its grasp, reminding them what it truly means to be alive. As the characters’ survival and morality hang in the balance, we witness the power of the human spirit.
Bayona is no stranger to the disaster flick, using practical effects to add a textured, gritty realism to the action. Much like The Impossible, the strong emphasis on character and vulnerability adds dramatic weight to the gripping spectacle. Featuring stunning cinematography, an emotive score, incredible set-pieces, and a powerfully executed narrative, it is no wonder Society of the Snow is being hailed as a worthy contender for Best International Film at the 96th Academy Awards.
Hear more on Society of the Snow (2023) from Laron Chapman and other Cinematropolis contributors on The Cinematic Schematic.
