The Edge [Blu-ray]

THE EDGEI had always heard about this film over the years but somehow, I never got around to seeing it. I don't know why since everything about seemed to be something I would love. A survival story always draws me in, characters out of their element I have always loved, and then of course Anthony Hopkins. So recently I decided to purchase this and had the wife and brother meet at the grandparents' house so we could all watch it together on a Sunday.The story follows a Billionaire named Charles [Hopkins] who takes a trip to Alaska with his wife [Elle Macpherson] for a photo shoot as she is a model. Along for the trip is the photographer [Alec Baldwin] and his assistants. While there Charles picks up on his wife and Bob the photographer flirting though it could be innocent. After a late-night birthday party, the crew throws for Charles in which he receives a watch from his wife and pocketknife from Bob the start shooting the next day.It is here that they decide to go find a local Native named Jack Hawk to add to the photo shoot. Charles, Bob, and one of the assistants named Steve [Harold Perrineau] head out with their pilot flying to the location they believe Hawk to be. During this flight they strike a flock of birds sending the plane down into a lake killing the pilot. Now with limited supplies and no real idea of where they are they must try to survive the harsh elements, a bear with a taste for human flesh stalking them and maybe even each other to make it back alive.This is an excellent film and i really am unhappy that I waited so long to see it, I believe that the film came out in 1997. That would mean I wasn't even a teenager yet, so I have had plenty of time to see it. Director Lee Tamahori [Along Came A Spider] did a great job here as this film is full of suspense, humor and heart, a fun survival thriller. The actual use of "Bart the Bear" that Lee did here really added to the terror that these guys portrayed. This may be writer David Marnet's [Heist, Redbelt] best film as I really loved this movie.Of course, the movie is wonderfully acted especially by Anthony Hopkins as Billionaire Charles Morse. He is a highly intellectual man who reads constantly but has never really done any of the things he reads about. I really enjoy that this movie does not portray the "rich guy" as a weak character who is only the money guy and not resourceful at all. Here his intellect is not only gets him through this situation, but he takes charge, showcasing how and why the guy is successful in his real life. Alec Baldwin as well is great here as the adventurous photographer who in most movies would be "the guy" here. Then of course we get Harold Perrineau as the third survivor here and he kind of represents the every man here, out of his element but not giving up on getting out of the situation.The tension is high here from the plane going down to the bear attacks to the growing tension between the three men. I would highly recommend this movie to any and every one reading this. It is a fun survival film filled with great performances, great scenery and wonderfully entertaining moments. I would have loved a director commentary or something here, but the movie is enough.

This movie is awesome. It’s my husband‘s favorite movie of all time. We rented on Prime & had 48 hours to watch it. It was $3.99. We watched it more than once! Good experience!

Suspenseful. Fast paced. Excellent movie.

The hero is a wealthy, genius, whose knowledge is mostly from books. The wealthy man sees his money as a tool that he welds wisely and generously. He truly delights in learning- anything really. And treasures and loves his wife and seemingly desires friendship. He looks for it and he values true friendship the way some people value diamonds. Someone on the trip s willing to kill the wealthy genius, to get his wife and money. But there is hunger, frigid temperatures, hunger and a huge man-eating bear. That doesn't take into account the assassin on this trip. Will the wealthy man survive all of this?? I was on the edge of my seat. Don't miss this movie!

I love Sir Anthony Hopkins, but to me this movie is all about Bart the Bear. What a wonderful animal actor. So sad that he and his trainer and lifelong friend Doug Seuss are gone now

If you like watching movies like jazz or the revenant you'll enjoy this one. I personally hate Alec Baldwin but I liked this movie. I was hoping the bear would attack him but I won't tell you if it does or not. Great job Bear!

Lots of action, take your breath-away scenes, and two of our favorite actors.

Perfect thrills! Amazing nature photography. Never less than realistic and chilling. Chilling, as in, to the bone. I watch this every year when cold weather sets in. At which moment I'm glad I don't have to wear snowshoes or try outrunning Very Large Prey Animals. Most definitely, I actually yell at the same spot in this movie, it's that compelling. At least on any screen bigger than an ipad.Every single shock,every twist in the long, rocky trail is not only breathtaking, but believable. Including Anthony Hopkins' billionaire geek inventor/ aging lonester who perhaps deserves to be unloved except for all that $$$$$$$ until his jaw-dropping transformation. And Alex Baldwin is the perfect foil to Hopkins' character. Better be on your game if you want to survive a movie alongside Anthony Hopkins in every scene. Not a second wasted, no scenery chewing, 'cept by Very Large Prey Animals, nothing but great acting --and writing, and directing-- here.Admission: I was often the non-athletic grrrl geek on camping trips, so freakin' underperforming in the hiking department that I figured out as a kid on the annual churchy youth camp circuit I'd better have something of value to bring. And so I did. Because this is Amazon, I'm going to also admit I learned a lot from reading books on woodcraft. No one in my family was into camping, it was seen as a ridiculous passtime for people just one generation off the farm. That's the other reason why --besides great movie storytelling and acting-- I believed this character, the geek billionaire inventor portrayed by Anthony Hopkins using his soft-spoken, zero-eye contact uber introvert persona thang. In my own small way, I, who still gets lost in department stores and subways, read up and learned to check out the sun and look at the moss and lichen growth patterns on trees. Just like in THE EDGE. However, unlike the geek who learns to rough it in Nature in this movie, unfortunately I have not much in common with Anthony Hopkins' character in the finance department. Oh well, maybe in the next incarnation...