Modern moviegoers are so used to films that hold the hand of the audience in order to reach their mediocre conclusion, many of them wouldn’t know how to react to a film that lets them experience the story in real-time.
‘Infinite Storm’ will take many by surprise. Watching the trailer won’t do this film justice. This is not the typical movie with a protagonist, antagonist, and climax. Instead, the film is a story of emotionally damaged people trying to cope with everyday life.
Naomi Watts stars in a film based on a true story, Watts plays mountain climber Pam Bales, one day she sets out to climb New Hampshire’s Mount Washington. Pam is an experienced climber, who is well prepared to tackle harsh mountain conditions such as the freezing cold, hydration, and brutal snow. After a short mishap, Pam finds a man named John (Billy Howle) sitting on top of the mountain who is in dire need of medical attention. Pam braced the rough conditions to bring John back safely but John seems to be fighting his own demons that are consuming him, a battle that Pam knows all too well.
‘Infinite Storm’ is a barebone film that excels with a limited cast and excellent filmmaking techniques. The performance of Naomi Watts is the central focus of the film that follows her in her day-to-day life in her small mountain town. The film is nearly a pure character study that replaces dialogue with the slow progression of her internal struggle. The subplot of this film involves grief, Pam meets a stranger who has turned suicidal with grief and struggles to get the man to not give up on himself. The event inspires Pam who uses hiking as her tool to heal while dealing with the traumatic loss of her own daughters, to re-establish a purpose in her life to move forward from her despair.
Billy Howle plays the contrast to Pam conflict. John is a man who near death when Pam finds him and he seems unwillingly to accept Pam’s offer of safety when things get bad. His motivations are left mysterious until that dying stages of the film. John plays a vital role in restoring Pam’s humanity while going down a similar character path as her.
The cinematography adapts to the physical state of Pam in a way that first-person vision from a third-person perspective. Visually capturing the effects of ice, freeze, and pain goes a long way in selling the story without dumbing down the content of the movie.
Infinite Storm is a cinematic experience and a must-see for 2022. A film that is an early lock for one of the best films of the year.
4.5/5
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