Steep (2008)

53% of critics liked it
(47 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(546 ratings)

Traces the legacy of extreme skiing from its early pioneers to the death-defying daredevils of today.

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Mark Obenhaus
Genres: Documentary, Sports & Fitness

In Theaters: Dec 21, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Mar 18, 2008
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
A tedious movie about excitement.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
As enchanting as all this alpine footage can be, as a movie, Steep is flat.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Sometimes it takes escaping death to feel alive -- especially if we have survived a cancer scare, a road accident or some other potentially fatal encounter. But Steep is about those who actively seek that dance with danger.
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times
Steep is a throwback to the early days of movies when the sight of things in motion was a thrill in itself. Seeing leaves rustling in the wind or waves on the sea was a marvel.
Scott Schueller, Chicago Tribune
Steep is one of those rare endeavors able to touch on the human condition without neglecting the film's true star: big-mountain skiing.
Philip Marchand, Toronto Star
Obenhaus's movie certainly contains a lot of spectacular photography.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
While it desperately wants to crossover to a mainstream audience, it is what it is: a movie for skiers.
Jonathan Crocker, Total Film
Steep is more promo-reel than documentary.
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
Catch this on an IMAX screen if you're interested, but for a great movie about mountain-based triumphs of the human spirit check out the inspirational Blindsight instead.
David Gritten, Daily Telegraph
In this handsomely shot documentary about extreme skiing, thrill-seeking devotees boast of their exploits, but shed no light on what drives them to risk their lives.
Xan Brooks, Guardian [UK]
It gets a little wearing, hanging out with these lions, but there's no denying the beauty of the landscape, with its fluttering avalanches, plumes of powder and vertiginous, zigzagging descents.
Wendy Ide, Times [UK]
Remarkably, given the extraordinary descents captured on film and despite the less than subtle stirring score, the film is ultimately lacking in any real excitement.
Daniel Etherington, Film4
Amazing imagery of remarkable achievements and a chronicle of the sport but one that could have dug a little deeper into the psychology of the extreme skiers.
Rosamund Witcher, Empire Magazine
If you're a fan of 'extreme skiing' (ie. hurling yourself down terrifyingly steep terrain with sticks on your feet), this film is your Holy Grail.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
An interesting documentary about a thrilling sport, but not necessarily a thrilling film.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
There's awe-inspiringly beautiful footage in Steep and awe-inspiringly stupid talk.
Scott Schueller, Baltimore Sun
It's nearly impossible to walk away without a new motivation to find what can make you feel the way these characters do.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The tediousness becomes a little too palpable and the film's first half is frankly dull, despite some fine acting from Depardieu and Balibar.