K2 is a 1991 motion picture loosely based on the story of two friends' ascent of the second-highest mountain on Earth, K2. These roles were played by Michael Biehn and Matt Craven. The film was directed by Franc Roddam and written by Patrick Meyers and Scott Roberts, adapting the original stage play by Meyers.[1]
Plot
Taylor Brooks (Michael Biehn) and Harold Jameson (Matt Craven) are white-collar professionals by weekday, and accomplished mountain climbers on weekends. Though they share a love for scaling mountains, the two friends are somewhat opposites in their personal lives. Taylor is a thrill-seeking attorney and womanizer, while Harold is a married, level-headed scientist.
On a random climb, the pair of friends come across billionaire Phillip Claiborne (Raymond J. Barry), who is accompanied by his team of fellow climbers. That night, a few of Claiborne's friends ignore Harold's warnings of an impending avalanche and are killed when snow careens down the mountain. Claiborne and the other survivors are rescued only thanks to the quick action of Taylor and Harold. With a hole left in his climbing crew, Claiborne asks Taylor and Harold to join him on his next adventure: scaling K2, the second highest peak in the world.
The entire team heads to the Himalayas and starts the climb successfully, though Taylor butts heads with Claiborne's second in command, Dallas, while Harold has guilt over leaving his wife to participate. As the ascent continues, the team runs into trouble when their sherpas quit and Claiborne gets very ill. A four-man team (Taylor, Harold, Dallas and Takane) continue the summit with minimal gear. They are stopped when Claiborne makes the decision (talking via radio) to only allow two men to make the final summit, while two wait behind at the high camp. Dallas chooses Takane as the second man to go, and they leave, amidst protest from Taylor and Harold. Later, Takane returns to the tents, in severe hypothermia, moments later freezing to death.
Taylor and Harold decide to try for the summit themselves. After a grueling finish, the pair finish the climb and celebrate. Their happiness is short-lived, however, as Harold slips on the descent and badly breaks his leg. The pain is unbearable and he cannot be moved. Luckily, Taylor soon comes cross Dallas' frozen body, as well as his supply of epinephrine (adrenaline) kept on hand. Taylor injects Harold with the morphine and then begins to lower his friend to safety, several dozen feet at a time. Despite Harold's pleas, Taylor refuses to abandon him and continue alone. They continue to descend until they reach a ridge, where a helicopter comes into view. The men are saved and celebrate.
See also
Vertical Limit
References
External links
