Everest is an entertaining popcorn movie, and one of the few that I would recommend seeing in 3D. However, like any "based on a true story movie", the film relies on the amount of creativity the filmmakers put into thematic and character elements in the film. Unfortunately, they seem to have stopped once they thought it was good enough.

It's exceedingly rare to see a film make good use of 3D, and this film manages it. How does one tell apart good 3D from bad 3D? It's inherently simple: if a shot works better in 3D than in 2D, it's a good use of the technology as it adds to the film, rather than be a money-making gimmick. Fair warning: although the depth of the 3D is as impressive as I've seen it, you will sacrifice brightness. The benefits of the stereoscopic imaging only just outweighed the dimmed colours. Just as 3D is starting to be used properly, it's fading out of the popular consciousness. Ah well, see you again in 50 years!

The cast is literally stellar, a forte and a weakness. The decision to cast so many A-list celebrities clearly sold x-times more tickets, and assures the global audience of the quality of acting, and it delivers. The downside is that no single star gets enough screen-time to shine - Emily Watson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robin Wright. Josh Brolin puts in a good performance post-Inherent Vice, and Jason Clarke is exponentially more likeable than his shouty Planet of The Apes character as Rob Hall.

The film has good pacing, takes a surprising but warranted while to get to the main survival element of the film, building up a rapport between characters. The only antagonist in the film is the mountain - this lack of a human conflict gives the situation a deeper sense of realism, yet leaves the story thematically lacking. This is a problem that plagues biopics: even though the real-life story is incredible and tragic, does not mean that it translates onto screen effectively.

Ultimately, the film builds tension effectively, is respectful to it's real-life counterparts (maybe too much so), shot incredibly and a worthwhile popcorn movie.