Meru
Elite climbers confront peril, grief, and their own obsession in a breathtaking bid to conquer Mount Meru.
Overview
Three climbers embark on a perilous journey to conquer one of the most challenging peaks in the Himalayas.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- tense
- awe-struck
- intimate
- inspiring adventure night
- outdoor film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Meru as a gripping and thought-provoking documentary that combines thrilling narrative momentum with spectacular Himalayan imagery.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The climbers' attempt depends on cooperation and trust while confronting exposure, exhaustion, and risk on Meru.
Wide-screen footage of Himalayan walls, snowfields, and technical climbing makes the mountain environment central to the film's impact.
The climbers' pursuit of Meru unfolds through setbacks and renewed efforts rather than a single uninterrupted ascent.
The plot explicitly connects the climbers' high-stakes ambition with obsession and loss.
Films like Meru, and why
Free Solo
shared documentary form, extreme expedition stakes, and awe-inspiring wilderness cinematography
Touching the Void
shared mountaineering focus, survival pressure, and harrowing high-altitude decision-making
The Dawn Wall
shared adventure documentary structure, elite physical challenge, and visually spectacular natural environments
The Alpinist
shared true-life expedition narrative, intense danger, and reflective treatment of endurance and loss
Movie Details
- Directors
- Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
- Release Date
- 2015-01-25
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (270)
Cast
- Conrad Anker
- Jimmy Chin
- Renan Öztürk
- Jon Krakauer
- Jenni Lowe-Anker
- Amee Hinkley
- Grace Chin
- Jeremy Jones
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Brew, Curiosity Stream, OVID, Fandor Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads, CuriosityStream Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, DocuramaFilms Amazon Channel, CuriosityStream Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, MovieMe
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Meru about?
- Elite climbers confront peril, grief, and their own obsession in a breathtaking bid to conquer Mount Meru.
- What is Meru like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Meru as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Meru violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Meru as mild.
- What did critics think of Meru?
- Critics broadly praised Meru as a gripping and thought-provoking documentary that combines thrilling narrative momentum with spectacular Himalayan imagery.
- Which films are like Meru?
- Films with a similar feel include Free Solo, Touching the Void, The Dawn Wall, and The Alpinist.
- How long is Meru?
- Meru runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Meru?
- In United States, Meru streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Brew, Curiosity Stream, OVID, Fandor Amazon Channel, Netflix Standard with Ads, CuriosityStream Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, DocuramaFilms Amazon Channel, CuriosityStream Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
