Society of the Snow movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Society of the Snow

This sobering film is now playing exclusively on Netflix.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 2 hours 24 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

The film is based on a true story and the book entitled “The Society of the Snow: The Definitive Account of the World’s Greatest Survival Story” by Pablo Vierci. A rugby team from Uruguay crashes in a plane on a glacier in the Andes mountains. The story is one of gritty survival and hope.

The movie was directed by J. A. Bayona, who also helped write it with 5 other screenwriters. Spain submitted this movie for “Best International Feature Film” for the 96^th Academy Awards in 2024!

THINGS I LIKED:

All of the actors did a tremendous job. Filming could not have been easy for them. I had never seen any of them before. The cast is too large to list but the narrator is Enzo Vogrincic.
One of the real-life survivors (Carlos Paez) plays the role of his father (Carlos Paez Vilaro) in the film! Another one of the survivors, Fernando “Nando” Parrado, plays one of the family members in the airport scene.
At a little over the hour mark, you’re exhausted and can’t imagine it getting any worse, but it does get worse.
You WILL cry.
The director does an excellent job balancing the awful situation the survivors are in with hope.
Keep watching during the final rolling credits to see chilling pictures of the real people who endured the events of the true story. We see photographs of the real people and the actors who played them side by side.
The lovely soundtrack will touch your heart.
Believe it or not, a tour company takes tourists to the real crash site once a year in February. One of the real-life survivors, Eduardo Strauch goes on the tour each year.
In order to get the sound of silence, snow, and wind, the team interviewed guides who were used to climbing those mountains.
The film does a great job illustrating that while prayer and faith are important, taking action is even more so.
I remember the first time I saw the 1993 film Alive, which was the original feature film that told this story. It has stuck with me for many years. This one will too. Thank you for bringing this powerful film to the masses, Netflix.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

It’s a really long movie, but I was still riveted the entire time.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

This movie is not appropriate for children.
Several people die in brutal ways.
We see bloodied, gory, and dead body parts.
Cannibalism is portrayed.
The film is in Spanish with English subtitles.
Smoking and alcohol.

THEMES:

Survival
The human spirit
Friendship
Brotherhood
Hope
Faith
“There is no greater love than to give one’s life for friends.” – Numa (Enzo Vogrincic)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Some say it was a tragedy. Others, a miracle.” – Numa (Enzo Vogrincic)
“What happens when the world abandons you.” – Numa (Enzo Vogrincic)
“Less thinking, more doing.” – survivor
“We have to eat to survive.” – survivors
“God tells me what to do back home, but not what to do out here.” – Arturo Nogueira (Fernando Contingiani)
“What is the meaning in all of it all? Only you can give it meaning. You’ll all the answer. Keep taking care of each other.” – Numa (Enzo Vogrincic)
“Look, praying won’t get us out of here.” –
“Who were we in the mountains?” – Numa (Enzo Vogrincic)