First let me say: Spencer and his family are not likely to win over too many people what with their apparent lack of any real emotion. They really do come across as privileged rich folk who are doing this more for fame than money. BUT if you watch this as a documentary about Everest rather than about this family, it really is quite an incredible story. It is incredibly sad that Michael lost his life climbing Mt Everest, and anyone would understand the desire to recover his body. They obviously have the means to fund an unbelievably expensive and dangerous needle in a haystack search, so they did! Good for them.
That's what this story is about. Simply put, this is documentary about an incredible search-and-recovery attempt undertaken by the world's greatest climbers.
All the reviews claiming this film is purely about a privileged English dude putting Sherpas' lives at risk are really doing a disservice to the amazing team of climbers that Nimsdai leads. To paint this team as just an under-privileged group of Nepalese locals who are being taken advantage of is incredibly reductive and insulting! They are undermining the unbelievable skill and strength of Nims and his team. Not only are they elite climbers who completely understand (and are well-equipped to take on) the danger and difficulty of the task, Nims has also made a huge name for himself and this is great exposure for him and his company! If you pay attention his branding is absolutely everywhere: the helicopter, the whole camp, all their clothes, even the mug that Spencer is drinking from! Nimsdai and his company and his team are not just some poor locals with no choice but to climb for white people. They're incredible athletes with a strong connection to the mountain that deserve respect and deserve recognition.
People who watch this with that in mind will truly be blown away.
