As a society, humans have always found new and exciting ways to get themselves killed. While we could easily spend our days relaxing around the house and reading articles on our favorite movie news websites, specific individuals feel that they need to put themselves in harm’s way to feel truly alive. These brave activities range from bungee jumping, skydiving, extreme sports, and mountain climbing.

From the very first time a person laid their eyes on a rocky surface that stretches into the heavens and said “I can climb that,” mountain climbing has become a hobby. Whether it is scaling a harsh surface on a craggy cliffside or trekking a mountain covered in snow, humans have done it, and some have even survived. Of course, the movie industry had to get in on the adventurous ordeal, and plenty of fictional films and documentaries about the deadly pastime have been created. The end result is some of the best thriller movies of all time, with some fictional, and some not.

18 ‘The Ledge’ (2022)

Directed by Howard J. Ford

When best friends Kelly and Sophie decide to go rock climbing, their adventure holiday is interrupted by the arrival of four strange men. After the newcomers murder Sophie, and Kelly captures it on camera, the killers pursue her up the cliff, resulting in Kelly being forced to climb for her life as the killers try to silence her.

While the plot is nothing new for the thriller genre, The Ledge manages to feel unique by adding the extra tension of the climbing aspect. It calls to mind single-location thrillers like Phone Booth and Buried as both the threat of Kelly’s pursuers and the harsh surface of the earth below beckon to end her life.Watch on Hulu

17 ‘Devil’s Pass’ (2013)

Directed by Renny Harlin

Devil’s Pass, also known as The Dyatlov Pass Incident, is a fictional take on the true story of nine Russian hikers who mysteriously died in the Ural Mountains in 1959. Directed by Renny Harlin, the film follows a group of college students who decide to make a movie following the steps of the hikers in the hopes of uncovering what happened to them that fateful day. Naturally, things don’t go as planned, and what they find is something far more sinister.

Winter is already a pretty stellar setting for the horror genre, so adding in a mountain setting and an unsolved mystery that has constantly boggled the minds of everyone who learns of it makes for the perfect recipe. Of course, things get a bit far-fetched since it’s still a horror movie that has to appeal to a wider audience, but for those who love found footage and are looking for a good thrill, it’s a solid pick. – Samantha Graves

Watch on Shudder

16 ‘High Lane’ (2009)

Directed by Abel Ferry

Someone once had the genius thought “what if Wrong Turn was a movie about mountain climbers?” and thus High Lane was born. When a group of youths decides to spice up their vacation by scaling a mountain trail, they soon find themselves hunted by a psychopath who calls the area home.

Hailing from France, High Lane avoids the extreme violence common in the New French Extremity Movement to instead resemble an old-school slasher movie. Along with Wrong Turn, it calls to mind The Hills Have Eyes as the teens are each picked off one by one in their unfamiliar and unforgiving environment, where falling off a cliff suddenly does not seem so bad.

Rent on Apple TV

15 ‘Vertical Limit’ (2000)

Directed by Martin Campbell

One of the most popular movies about mountain climbing, Vertical Limit was the most notable film in the genre for years. When a team of climbers becomes trapped on K2, a small rescue crew is sent up to save them. Among the rescuers is Peter (Chris O’Donnell), whose sister Annie (Robin Tunney) is one of the trapped climbers.

Also starring Bill Paxton and Scott Glenn, Vertical Limit is more interested in adrenaline-fueled thrills than it is in realism. As the six-person crew makes their way up the mountain they face a multitude of deadly situations, creating a tense, but entertaining atmosphere as the climbers are killed off one by one.Watch on Fubo

14 ‘Sherpa’ (2015)

Directed by Jennifer Peedom

While not a thriller per se, Sherpa is still a must-watch addition to the mountain climbing genre, and an important one at that. In 2013, media outlets began reporting of a brawl on Everest, as European climbers fled from angry Sherpas. Director Jennifer Peedom set out to uncover why the sudden cause of the altercation after so many years of relative peace. Her intent was to capture the 2014 Everest climbing season from the point of view of the Sherpa community but instead captured the greatest tragedy to happen on Everest: the ice avalanche.

The avalanche crashed down onto the climbing route and claimed the lives of 16 Sherpas, becoming the worst tragedy in Everest’s history. The resulting documentary tells of how the Sherpas found their way, and united through their grief to reclaim the mountain of Everest. – Samantha Graves

Rent on Amazon

13 ‘K2’ (1991)

Directed by Franc Roddam

Loosely based on the first two American climbers to summit the legendary mountain, K2 stars Michael Biehn and Matt Craven as best friends and avid mountain climbers. Learning of an expedition to scale K2, the two men manage to talk themselves onto the team, but soon discover their partners are less than capable.

While the film does not bother to ask any philosophical questions about why people would willingly put themselves in extreme danger, K2 is still an enjoyable adventure movie. Both Biehn and Craven make for likable leads as they struggle to survive the frigid conditions, with each new step bringing them closer to death.

Watch on Hoopla

12 ‘The Summit’ (2012)

Directed by Nick Ryan

The Summit is based on the 2008 K2 disaster in which 22 international climbers gathered on High Camp of K2 — the second highest mountain after Mount. Everest. It was the last stop before the summit, but forty-eight hours later, 11 of the climbers had been killed or had seemingly vanished into thin air.

The film combines real footage with dramatized recreations of moments to tell the tragic and mystifying tale. It captures the intense physical and mental challenges the climbers faced on the way up to the notoriously dangerous peak, as well as the fateful decisions and moments that would later lead to the devastating loss of so many lives. – Samantha Graves

11 ‘A Lonely Place to Die’ (2011)

Directed by Julian Gilbey

While a group of mountaineers is climbing in the Scottish Highlands, they discover a large box hidden in the ground. Shocked to discover the container holds a young girl, the friends are pursued by deadly mercenaries as they attempt to get the child to safety, all while trying to figure out her identity.

A Lonely Place to Die is a great thriller full of plenty of twists and turns as the movie’s core mystery is gradually revealed. As the mountaineers try to survive, the film also shifts perspective to a small crew of mercenaries, exploring different sides of the conflict which helps to flesh out both the world and the story of this underrated thriller.Watch on Shudder

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9 ‘The Eiger Sanction’ (1975)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Starring Clint Eastwood in the leading role, The Eiger Sanction follows Jonathan Hemlock (Eastwood) a former government assassin who now devotes his time to teaching and collecting art pieces. But he’s soon drawn out of retirement and is tasked with a case where he must uncover which member of a mountain climbing team is his target, all the while being forced to scale the treacherous Mount. Eiger; of which he has tried, and failed, to scale twice.

Any movie with Clint Eastwood as a leading man is a movie well worth watching, so throw an undercover spy plot and some mountain climbing into the mix, and it’s sure to be a thrilling ride from start to finish. – Samantha Graves

Rent on Amazon

8 ‘Cliffhanger’ (1993)

Directed by Renny Harlin

Having already fought the Vietnam army and Mr. T, Sylvester Stallone decided his next opponent was going to be a mountain. Cliffhanger stars Sly as Gabe Walker, a ranger haunted by a failed rescue attempt. When a gang of criminals takes hostages on his mountain, he is finally offered a chance at redemption.

While the movie draws comparisons to the rest of Stallone’s “action hero saves the day” filmography, its mountain setting adds extra tension to proceedings while offering some beautiful cinematography. Cliffhanger is one of the definitive rock-climbing movies, and remains one of Stallone’s best movies.Watch on Pluto

7 ‘Everest’ (2015)

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Based on the real-life 1996 Mount Everest disaster that claimed the lives of eight climbers, Everest is a Hollywood adaptation of the events. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jason Clarke as the two leaders of the expedition, the movie follows both men and their companions as they attempt to scale the frozen mountain.

There has been some debate about if Everest is faithful to the true story, and if it embellishes certain events to serve the film’s narrative. Removing the film’s basis in reality out of the equation, Everest is still an enjoyable movie about humans being at Mother Nature’s mercy. Prepare some warm snacks and a sweater.

6 ‘North Face’ (2008)

Directed by Philipp Stölzl

Based on the 1936 attempt to scale the Eiger, North Face follows two German climbers as they take part in a competition to reach the top of one of the world’s deadliest summits. Joining the Germans is an Austrian team, and as the rivals race to be the first ones there, the deadly conditions may force them to work together to survive.

North Face is a reminder that even though we are almost a century removed from these true events, people are still using mountain climbing as a way to push themselves beyond human limits. Whichever way you feel about it, the movie is a representation of how far one will go to prove themselves, even if costs them their life.Watch on Tubi

5 ‘127 Hours’ (2010)

Directed by Danny Boyle

One of the best survival movies based on a true story, 127 Hours follows Aron Ralston (James Franco) as he goes on a solo hiking trip in an isolated canyon. When an accident causes the experienced mountain climber to have his arm pinned underneath a large boulder, Ralston desperately tries to escape his predicament with seemingly no hope of rescue.

Less of an examination of the wild highs of mountain climbing and more of a study of the incredible will to live of those who undertake it, 127 Hours showcases the unyielding ability of the human spirit even in the most horrific of situations. Its inspirational story is bolstered by the assured direction of Danny Boyle and Franco, who delivers the best performance of his career.

4 ‘Meru’ (2015)

Directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

A documentary centered around three climbers and their quest to conquer the Meru Peak in the Himalayas, Meru follows both their unsuccessful attempt in 2008 and their successful climb in 2011. In between, it follows each of the men’s struggles with self-doubt, obsession, and traumatic injury.

Meru contains all the thrills and drama one would expect from a fictional take on such a journey, but these elements are heightened by its grounding in reality. The bond and belief that the three climbers share are as unbeatable as the mountain they tackle, and their unwavering faith in each other and their abilities will make you want to run out and climb the nearest mountain. Well, maybe just a tree instead.Watch on Amazon Prime

3 ‘Touching the Void’ (2003)

Directed by Kevin Macdonald

Based on the real-life expedition by Joe Simpson and David Yates to be the first to conquer the heights of the Siula Grande. Along with re-enacting the hazardous journey, Touching the Void also features interviews with Simpson and Yates as they recount their near-fatal quest that saw Simpson trek back on a badly broken leg.

Hailed as one of the greatest documentaries of all time, Touching the Void is a raw and honest look at the dangers of extreme sports and the fine line between life and death. The addition of the well-acted dramatizations makes Touching the Void more digestible for those who are not fans of documentaries, while the interspersed interviews add vital context to proceedings.Watch on Pluto

2 ‘The Dawn Wall’ (2017)

Directed by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer

Struggling with personal tragedy and trauma, Tommy Caldwell and his climbing partner Kevin Jorgesen set out to conquer the Dawn Wall in Yosemite National Park. After six years of planning the pair finally begin their ascent of the 3,000-foot rock face as the world watches on to see how far the men will go for their goal.

The Dawn Wall does a great job of showcasing who Caldwell is and what drives him, as his dream shifts between admirable dedication and worrying obsessiveness. Like all good documentaries about mountain climbing, The Dawn Wall is as much about the climbers themselves as it is the daunting tasks they undertake.Buy on Amazon

1 ‘Free Solo’ (2018)

Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin

A documentary about Alex Honnold‘s attempt to be the first person to solo climb a famous 900-meter rock face in Yosemite National Park, Free Solo is an extraordinary showcase of the human spirit. As well as showing the legendary climb, the movie also focuses on Alex and his friends and family in the months leading up to the event.

There are plenty of documentaries about extraordinary sporting achievements, but Free Solo is one of the best. While most viewers will find it difficult to connect with Honnold’s desire to accomplish a task that most would consider suicide, his passion for achieving this one goal is something that everyone can relate to.

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