"The Sound" is a tone deaf viewing experience

Brendan Devane aims high with his writing and directing debut in the rock climbing horror film The Sound, produced by Blue Harbor Entertainment.

When Colton (Nicholas Baroudi ) is granted access to the Forbidden Wall, he recruits the best of the best from a world-class group of climbers. This mysterious rock formation has been closed to climbers for decades.

Among the climbers is Sean (Marc Hills), whose grandfather made an ill-fated attempt to scale the wall 63 years earlier. The group also includes Kerrie (Jolene Kay), Kristen (Rachel Finninger), Radio (Gabe Greenspan), Emily (Christina Kirkman), Lucky (Michael J. Chen), Brad (Christian Howard), Jessie (Elise Greene), and Justin (Scott Bennett). As the group begins their ascent, they encounter a malevolent force that quickly turns their expedition into a harrowing battle for survival hundreds of feet above the ground.

One of the first things potential viewers should know about the film is that, although he appears in the trailer, actor William Fichtner doesn't have a huge role. Fichtner plays Connor, Sean's father. Connor lost his father during an expedition to the Forbidden Wall.

As Sean plans to climb that wall, Connor struggles with mixed emotions. Although he has never been there, the Great Wall of China, not the Forbidden City, has had a profound impact on his life. Meanwhile, Sean feels uncertain about the journey but is invited on the expedition against his father's wishes. Fichtner is one of the film's bright spots; sadly, the rest is a mess.

While I've never gone mountain climbing, nor will I ever, I've always loved seeing it on film, particularly in films like Everest, Cliffhanger, and Vertical Limit. Throw in some horror elements, and the film could have been mindless fun. However, the film is painfully dull, with no characters to root for. When the horror elements kick in, it's a little too late, and I was only watching to see characters get picked off one by one, laughing at the absurdity of it all.

If there is one thing I would give the film credit for, it is the director's attention to detail. The film's press kit mentioned that the main cast had basic climbing abilities and that real rock climbers were on set. The final result would have been better if the director had gone for a drama with a framing story of coping with the past.

While The Sound wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, the climbing community may find some value in the film.

Final Grade: C-

 The Sound opens in limited theaters and on VOD nationwide tomorrow.