‘Society of the Snow’ movie review: A simple, affecting look at the 1972 Andes flight disaster

A still from ‘Society of the Snow’
| Photo Credit: Netflix

Panning over snow-covered cliffs that stretch for miles on end, with nothing else to break the monotony of white, Society of the Snow begins in a starkly simple manner. JA Bayona’s take on the 1972 Andes flight disaster provides an evocative experience by continuing down the same simple path it starts with. For a story that has been picked apart over the years for its shock value, Bayona’s bare-bones, raw version elevates the aspects of humanity that survived and emerged victorious from those harsh conditions. It is by no means a novel approach, but it is a refreshing one for this particular tale. By constantly measuring the might of the human spirit, against the terrifying height of the Andes mountains, Society of the Snow conquers the sensationalist tendencies that have otherwise haunted this story.

Based on a Uruguayan book of the same name, Society of the Snow makes its intentions clear quite early on, when it chooses to spend time with members of the rugby team who are soon to depart for Chile on the ill-fated flight. A crash that breaks the aircraft into several pieces leaves these young boys stranded in the freezing cold Andes mountains. The film chronicles their journey over the next two months, as they struggle to survive, attempt their own rescue, and end up resorting to extreme measures to stay alive.

The knowledge of how this story ended and how many of the 40 passengers survived is only a Google search away. It has also formed the foundation of several films and shows, most recently Yellowjackets, which have explored this rare dynamic of a stranded group fighting against the natural odds. What makes Bayona’s attempt different and worth the over two-hour-long screentime is that even with a large cast of characters, many of whom end up dying, the film doesn’t reduce them to just numbers. Following the plane’s crash, the rugby team’s captain, Marcelo (Diego Vegezzi), takes immediate charge. He not only instructs on the next steps but also urges everyone to maintain hope for their rescue, which he believes is imminent. Eleven days later, as the bodies of those dying from the bitter cold and starvation pile up, the party hears on the radio that the search for them has been called off. When Marcelo begins to doubt the future, others take over the charge from him. Parrado (Agustín Pardella), who loses his mother and sister in the same crash, recovers from the shock and hikes for 10 days to look for help.

The film starts with Enzo Vogrincic Roldán, as one of the team members Numa Turcatti, narrating the ordeal. He recalls it as we may recall a nightmare, and points out that while some called the crash a tragedy, others hailed the survival of few as a miracle. Bayona’s script tackles both these feelings effectively. Even for those audience aware of the ending, the writing manages to balance out a tight cycle of despair and hope. Stretching both these emotions to an extreme, the film does not stumble under its lengthy runtime.

The desire for survival is not infinite without hope. Where would you search for hope in the middle of nothingness, where no one can hear your cries for help? The focus of Society of the Snow on these unanswerable questions distinguishes it from a run-of-the-mill narrative.

Society of the Snow is available for streaming on Netflix