Society of the Snow

Community Rating

Director: J.A. Bayona

Writers: J.A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques, Nicolás Casariego

Stars: Agustín Pardella, Esteban Kukuriczka, Francisco Romero

Runtime: 2h 24m

MPAA: R

Released: January 4, 2024

The 1972 Andes flight disaster is an incredible story of tragedy, death, and survival. An ametuer rugby team chartered the doomed flight for a match in Chile. Joining them were family and friends, making a total of 45 people when including the flight crew. Only 16 would survive. This would seem to be a difficult story to properly represent in film. J.A. Bayona has done an admirable job doing exactly that with Society of the Snow. It is a brutal yet beautiful film that chronicles the events of the disaster.

The cinematography of Society of the Snow is simply gorgeous. Pedro Luque’s shots are chosen well with excellent depth. These sometimes shows vast expanses of landscape, other times claustrophobic quarters in a crashed airplane. The Glacier of Tears and surrounding Andes mountain range look stunning. Yet their domineering presence serves to create an ever present sense of helplessness.

This serves the true story from which Society of the Snow is based on well. The bleak situation faced by the survivors of the crash is crushing. The writers have done a fantastic job pacing the movie in such a way that it never loses interest. There is just the right amount of background and aftermath given. Most impressively the days where the group is trapped on the glacier pass at just the right pace to give each moment proper weight. The film also never gets bogged down for too long, keeping interest high.

Importantly the film also does not shy away from its subject matter while still being respectful. After days battling the extreme cold and running out of food the survivors of the Andes flight disaster were forced to try and eat anything they could. This included seating, shoelaces, and eventually the dead. This is approached honestly but without grotesque sensationalism, keeping the film real and grounded. For those familiar with the story there are only a few small liberties taken from what is known about the real event.

Fantastic acting from the ensemble cast also adds greatly to Society of the Snow. Of all the crew the most attention is given to Enzo Vogrincic as Numa Turcatti, Agustín Pardella as Nando Parrado, and Matías Recalt as Roberto Canessa. Each handles their roll well. Numa is an idealist young man primed for a bright future. Roberto is a medical student with a more realistic attitude. Nando exists somewhere between these two outlooks. He’s an idealist with strong ambitions who is focused on training himself for an eventual journey to get help.

A touching soundtrack by Michael Giacchino gives the film extra heart and grand scale when needed. It matches the notes of the film with somber tracks that still contain a hopeful edge. Great costume and set design is also present in Society of the Snow, doing well to show the harsh conditions faced by the survivors. Everyone on screen looks progressively more worn, rough, and thin as the film progresses.

The refusal to quit from the survivors of the disaster is inspiring to witness. Despite the surrounding death, injuries, and hardships, each fights on the best they possibly can. They also display teamwork and discipline. It is an emotionally hard hitting movie that features several moments of the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

Society of the Snow is a beautiful film of survival. It shows an enveloping mix of despair and hope that keeps viewers engaged from beginning to end. Despite the death and depressing difficulties along the way, in the end there’s a message of inspiration that is strangely uplifting. J.A. Bayona has told a story that ultimately espouses an appreciation for life and the opportunity of tomorrow.

★★★★★