The condescending text cards that appear during their journey through Tibet are distracting, yet this remains a captivating documentary about the disastrous Mallory/Irvine attempt to climb what they referred to as the "Mother Goddess of the World." The film opens with the team’s travels across the Himalayan plateau where they observe various people, animals, and traditions. I found this initial portion particularly engaging. The portrayal of a society that simultaneously bathed infants in butter for warmth while constructing incredible buildings—often appearing carved directly into the mountainsides—was truly enchanting. A sense of general happiness and generosity from the local inhabitants is evident as the group progresses through their land until they arrive at the foothills, which are still around 20,000 feet high, and their climb begins in earnest. Through some impressive long-distance photography, we gain an understanding of both the size of their undertaking and its inherent dangers. There isn’t much footage from the later parts of their expedition, but what is shown made me want to grab a sweater and consider what could possibly motivate people to attempt something like this. It doesn't have quite as much substance as films about Shackleton or Scott, but it’s still deserving of appreciation.

Source on TMDB