The film is a Hollywood adaptation of an Everest climber's memoir who was on the ill-fated 1996 expedition (also chronicled in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air). The film follows the expedition from their arrival in Kathmandu to Base Camp to their ascension to the summit, and the ensuing blizzard and death of six climbers. Since this was a Hollywood movie with several A-List actors, the production values were very good and the film was very compelling.

I would recommend this film for personal viewing, but not necessarily classroom viewing--at least for a history course. An ELA or Reading teacher could certainly find value in it if paired with Into Thin Air or another Everest memoir.