Time: 117 Minutes
Age Rating: M – Violence & offensive language
Cast:
Anthony Hopkins as Charles Morse
Alec Baldwin as Bob Green
Harold Perrineau as Stephen
Elle Macpherson as Mickey Morse
Director: Lee Tamahori

I knew that The Edge was a survival thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. I thought it would just be decent, but it turned out to be better than I was expecting it to be.

The Edge is quite an effective survival thriller, while it is predictable in parts and has a familiar setup, it takes some twists and turns and does well at building tension. The writing is decent, and while the movie is about two men trying to survive the odds, the most compelling drama comes from the interactions and power struggle between them.

What particularly makes The Edge work as well as it does were the lead performances from Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, who share great chemistry between each other. The dynamic between them is compelling and believable, especially with their contrasting personalities. Hopkins does well with a layered character, and Baldwin more than holds his own.

This is definitely one of Lee Tamahori’s best movies. The environment and scenery are stunning, the wilds are captured well. Everything looks and feels grounded and believable, including a real bear which was one of the highlights of the film. The action scenes are also effectively tense.

The Edge is a well directed and effective survival thriller, made better by great performances from Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.