October 21, 2026 – Ambitious and dangerous expeditions to the top of the world have long captured the public's attention, none more so than the first team to summit Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain.

The first known to have submitted Everest are Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay of the 1953 British expedition led by John Hunt, although George Mallory and Andrew Irvine may have reached the summit of Everest in 1924, but there is no proof of that. This movie is about the 1953 expedition, but it also includes Mallory, as well as Tenzig, Hillary and Hunt. As the film's title suggests, Tenzig (played by Genden Phuntsok of “Wild Horse from Shangri-La”) is the main character.

Most of the movie is about the 1953 Everest expedition, but Tenzig's earlier life is told through a series of flashback scenes, including one where he meets Mallory (played by Johnny Flynn of “Emma”) when Tenzing was just a young boy. Growing up in the shadow of Everest, he is drawn to the mountain, and longs to be a mountaineer from an early age.

The movie makes a point of the fact that Tenzig was not born into the life of a Sherpa, and is considered an outsider by the rest of the Sherpas who climb in the expeditions. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, he grows up as an outsider and is able to join the climbing expeditions mainly through sheer determination and persistence. Eventually, he and Raymond Lambert become famous for climbing higher than anyone else during a Swiss expedition on Everest.

Because of his experience, Tenzing is offered the job of head Sherpa on the 1924 British expection by John Hunt (played by Willem Dafoe of “Poor Things”). Tenzing is reluctant to leave his daughters, after the death of his wife, but is finally convinced to go. Tenzing negotiates with Hunt, telling him he will be the head Sherpa only if he is designated as a mountaineer, a full member of the climbing party and Hunt reluctantly agrees.

Tenzing selects a team of Sherpas to haul supplies for the expedition. He includes Pasang (Tenzin Jigmey of “Four Rivers and Six Ranges”) on the expedition, even though they have never gotten along. Asked why he includes this trouble maker, Tenzig replies “I'm not choosing him because I like him. I'm choosing him because we need him.” The movie also explores the religious aspects of the expedition, particularly the reluctance to offend the spirit of Everest (called Chamolangma by the locals) by climbing too high upon it.

On the expedition, Tenzig meets Hillary (played by Tom Hiddleston of “The Life of Chuck”) for the first time, and the two gradually become friends. They become the strongest climbing pair of the expedition. Hunt doesn't consider them British enough to be selected for the final climb to the summit, and he still treats Tenzig as a Sherpa who isn't the equal of true Englishmen. The true Englishmen, however, wither under the terrible strain of the climb and altitude sickness, leaving only Tenzing and Hillary at the end.

The movie successfully recreates mid-20th century life and climbing conditions with the help of locations lensed in Kathmandu and the Everest region in Nepal. The final climbing scenes look spectacular. The makeup effects are very good, making the faces of the climbers look very haggard. I felt cold watching this movie. The story is compelling and the acting is strong. The movie is ably directed by Jennifer Peedom, who has previous experience making this kind of film (“Sherpa” and “Solo.”) It is a fitting tribute to the spirit of adventure. This movie rates a B.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in digital formats, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff (no extra charges apply). I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2026 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Robert Roten can be reached via e-mail at