Society Of The Snow (2023)

By: Mike Ward on Saturday, January 06

R Running Time: 145 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

One of the better international films to arrive stateside in 2023, Society of the Snow is a gripping, stunning adventure story of human survival in the most inhabitable of circumstances.
Handles the well-documented 1972 Uruguayan Andes Flight disaster with dignity and grace, honoring those who survived and those who gave their lives. A far superior product to 1993’s Alive, which many know as the cinematic depiction of this story.
A technical marvel, with stellar sound, visual effects, score, and set design. At times, we feel like we are immersed with the crash survivors and director J.A. Bayona makes the impossible feel all too real for viewers.

NO

Not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.
At 145 minutes, the film feels a bit long and especially with the subject matter. Now on Netflix, this may force you to pause and come back to it, when J.A. Bayona’s really should be seen uninterrupted, commanding your full attention.
Plane crash. Instant death. Slow, tragic death. Frozen victims. Cannibalism. Surviving unthinkable elements and circumstances. Society of the Snow is not necessarily date night or all-family viewing.

OUR REVIEW

Harrowing, unflinching and raw, Society of the Snow revisits the unbelievable story of the 1972 Uruguyan Andes Mountains flight disaster. Well documented and previously brought to the big screen by Frank Marshall in his 1993 film Alive, writer/director J.A. Bayona has crafted something mesmerizing, gut-wrenching at times, but a testament to the human instinct of survival.

The fateful flight saw 45 passengers, including crew, go down after their plane struck a mountain ridge, severing both wings and the tail portion of the aircraft. Some people died instantly. Others would survive initially, only to die from hypothermia or malnourishment, or succumbing to the subzero, extreme conditions the survivors found themselves battling for days on end.

The plane was notably carrying 20 members of the Old Christians Club rugby union, including some family, supporters, friends and staff. At the end of the ordeal, just 16 individuals would survive. Those who did survive were rescued almost 60 days after the plane went down.

Submitted as Spain’s entry into this year’s Oscar race for Best International Film, Society of the Snow is a difficult viewing experience. We see brutal injuries, like fractures and bone breaks. We witness blunt force trauma. See numerous frozen bodies stuck in snow and ice. Then there’s the fact that to survive the ordeal, those who survived had to turn to cannibalism. Where this was used as a marketing gimmick to promote Alive back in the 1990s, to Bayona’s credit, none of these moments are played for fantastical purposes. There is a dignity and grace through the film which makes the unthinkable and shocking moments we continually encounter seem plausible and accessible to viewers.

The cannibalism is such a plot point that some can never get past it. Honestly, that morbid curiosity might be why some people decide to watch Society of the Snow (or Alive for that matter). Bayona addresses it head on through debates, discussions, steadfast refusals and ultimate acceptance. As he was able to do with 2012’s The Impossible, Bayona finds a way to represent human loss and tragedy in a humane and dignified approach. While one of the film’s flaws might be that there isn’t a major character who really breaks through the pack and becomes an emotional connection for us, that does not make the stakes on screen any less important.

From a technical standpoint, the film’s rightfully being praised for incredible sound design, visual effects and a chilling, intense, and powerful score from Oscar and Emmy winner Michael Giacchino. Disorienting visuals and the contradiction of how frightening large spaces can be while the necessity of huddling in close together is brought into stunning focus through Pedro Luque Briozzo Scu’s cinematography. Toss up whatever hesitations and emotional walls you want to - if you spend any time at all with Society of the Snow, the film will draw you in and make you deeply invested in the plight, tragedy, and ultimate hope for these characters’ survival.

Admittedly, this Spanish-language film can feel overwhelming at 145 minutes. As engrossed as I was with much of what I was witnessing, I also feel like a tighter, more concise film exists here. With that said, devastation and resilience co-exist. The horror of discovery and the ingenuity of overcoming obstacles likewise run parallel in scene after scene. The contradictions are fascinating.

While not for the faint of heart, Society of the Snow proves visceral and engrossing, with sights and sounds you won’t soon forget. Bayona’s movie is one you will carry with you and think about for a good long time.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella, Matías Recait, Esteban Bigliardi, Diego Vegezzi, Fernando Contigiani García, Esteban Kukuriczka, Francisco Romero, Rafael Federman, Valentino Alonso, Tomás Wolf, Agustín Della Corte, Felipe Gonzalez Otaño, Andy Pruss, Blas Polidori, Felipe Ramusio, Simón Hempe, Luciano Chattón, Jaime James Louta

Director: J.A. Bayona
Written by: J.A. Bayona, Bernat Vilaplana, Jaime Marques-Olarreaga, Nicolás Casariego
Based on the book “La Sociedad de la Nieve” by Pablo Vierci
Release Date: December 22, 2023
Netflix

One of the better international films to arrive stateside in 2023, Society of the Snow is a gripping, stunning adventure story of human survival in the most inhabitable of circumstances.

Handles the well-documented 1972 Uruguayan Andes Flight disaster with dignity and grace, honoring those who survived and those who gave their lives. A far superior product to 1993’s Alive, which many know as the cinematic depiction of this story.

A technical marvel, with stellar sound, visual effects, score, and set design. At times, we feel like we are immersed with the crash survivors and director J.A. Bayona makes the impossible feel all too real for viewers.

Not for the faint of heart or the squeamish.

At 145 minutes, the film feels a bit long and especially with the subject matter. Now on Netflix, this may force you to pause and come back to it, when J.A. Bayona’s really should be seen uninterrupted, commanding your full attention.

Plane crash. Instant death. Slow, tragic death. Frozen victims. Cannibalism. Surviving unthinkable elements and circumstances. Society of the Snow is not necessarily date night or all-family viewing.