Shelling out your money for a movie like this always entails some risk. You've seen all the good bits in the preview, and there's a very real danger that there's nothing left to experience but two hours of extremely bad dialogue.
Well, the dialogue in Vertical Limit is certainly nothing to write home to mom about, but the money shots (explosions, stunts and such) are nicely placed throughout the picture. Simply endure a few short minutes of dumb, contrived script and you'll be promptly rewarded. Good pacing...
The special effects are excellent. You can tell they're working when a scene rolls by and you mutter: "how the **** did they do that!" Even if I didn't particularly care what happened to any given character, my eyebrows nearly always raised when it started happening.
Much credit should go to the technical people who so seamlessly blended sound stage stunts with the truly spectacular scenery (the New Zealand Alps, sitting in as the Himalayas). The rugged locations and the sophisticated camera work really gave me vertigo, which is exactly what they were supposed to do. (They're going to climb up there??!)
Sometimes, the stunts were so good, I actually laughed. Obviously, this was not the intended effect, but that was my reaction when some of the most preposterous scenes were displayed so vividly and convincingly, right before my eyes. So I wasn't scared like I was supposed to be; what's wrong with a good chuckle? I'm laughing, I'm enjoying myself, my movie fare is justified. (During other movies where the special effects are mediocre, I'll sit quietly, roll my eyes and think: "I paid $4.50 for this?")
By now you must realize that the story and the performances are not this movie's selling point. They're adequate by cheesy thriller standards: they get the job done. (If you go see Vertical Limit with expectations for realism and/or high drama, you deserve to be disappointed.) Chris O'Donnell and Scott Glenn were fun, and it was nice to see Robin Tunney (from Almost Famous). I like Bill Paxton, but it was a bit disappointing to see him back in his typecast role, being the schmuck.
Vertical Limit is one of the better "eye candy" movies I've seen in quite some time. Treat it as such, and you'll be sufficiently entertained. It's safe to say there will be no Oscars for "Best Picture" or "Best Supporting Actor", but a nod for special effects and/or cinematography wouldn't be at all out of line.