Few shows have seen as dramatic a shift in audience interest as “House of Cards.” Its myriad of recent problems both onscreen and off has turned what was once Netflix’s crown jewel into something of a laughingstock.

There seems to be a “based on a true story” paradox that persists in filmmaking, and Baltasar Kormákur’s “Everest” is among the many films it’s affecting. The very fact that its characters...