Netflix’s new survival thriller film, Society of the Snow, brings to life a true story set against the backdrop of the Andes, following a group of individuals who find themselves as survivors of a catastrophic plane crash.
The film keeps the audience hooked with a rich storyline that effectively captures all of the emotions experienced by the characters as they navigate surviving in freezing conditions.
While the subject of surviving a plane crash in the Andes has been explored before, Society of Snow stands out due to its deep dive into themes of resilience.
Director J. A. Bayona, who previously has worked on films like The Impossible and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, portrays the tragic events of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, with scenes depicting the plane crash executed in terrifying detail.
The film has breathtaking cinematography, with the crew filming in the Andes and Sierra Nevada mountains. Society of the Snow also manages to capture the physical and psychological changes in the characters effortlessly, adding a layer of depth to the overall storytelling.
This Spanish-language film takes the viewer through a cinematic journey that leaves a lasting impact while exploring the tough topic of cannibalism when it comes to life-or-death situations. This brings up the question of how far one can go for survival.
Though at times the film struggles to differentiate between its many characters, the cast as a whole delivers performances that powerfully showcase the fear, anger, dread, and determination the survivors of the crash felt.
The movie rises from a recreation of the 72-day survival nightmare faced by the Old Christians Club rugby team and their companions and instead becomes a tale about friendship, faith, and the moral boundaries that collapse in a life-or-death situation.
