Sorry, this movie sucks

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The cinematography is very good. And it is exciting that everything was caught on film (the Sherpa fighting, the rescue effort, the politically-motivated protests, etc etc). But the documentary falls flat of following through with the intended story, and instead showcases how much of grandiose liar Russell Brice is. It seems that the filmmakers started out with the intention of capturing the expedition on film, but then the tragedy occurred so the filmmakers shifted direction and documented the rescue operation. Then protests began so the filmmakers again shifted direction and wanted to make it about the plight of the Sherpa. But at the same time all of these foreigners are whining about how they can't go up the mountain because the Sherpas are complaining that a chunk of their people died. So Russell Brice and a few privileged hikers decided to stage a counter-protest by inventing this story about how a few (invisible) Sherpas are threatening to kill everyone if they go up the mountain, so they are going to withdraw from Base Camp and make all of the Sherpas suffer their wrath and learn their lesson?! I can't believe that this Russell Brice guy invented a story about Sherpas threatening to kill people, and then basically told the Sherpas that it was in their best interest if the hikers leave, and then he told the hikers that the Sherpas wanted them to leave. Appalling. THAT is the real story here, but it is glossed over and the only person in the film complaining about him lying is edited into bits and pieces to make him sound confusing.

As just a documentary, the film is beautifully produced. Unfortunately, I had a very hard time trying to find a good version to watch. I suspect there is a lot of pressure to keep this out of public view. If I recall in the doc they said that climbers typically pay 70k and upward to attempt the climb and it's a 350 million dollar (?) enterprise to the nepalese. So this is a major industry in nepal that certainly a lot of people do not want to upset. Very well photographed and edited and remarkably candid interviews. While I was watching this I wondered if the owners and the climbers actually believed what they were saying. I mean in one interview a climber actually likened the sherpas to terrorists and 9/11. I was astonished that there were so many they interviewed that had a similar view. Okay so you pay 70-100k to climb but the sherpas, at least according to the doc, see very little of this money but enjoy the most risks out of those making money off the enterprise. Unfortunately the doc is very sketchy about the overall economy of the operation but probably because it's most suitable in the written word. If anyone knows if this has been documented please post. That is, it would be interesting to see how the money gets distributed to the operators, nepalese government, local businesses, and the sherpas. And the film never quite explained how the losses are handled or if the operators or their clients have insurance to cover certain events. Anyway, the climbers pay a lot of money and then expect the sherpas, come 'hell or high water' to perform despite any disasters or risks involved. Sorry but I have no sympathy for the two climbers who attempted twice but were denied when their seasons were both shut down prematurely. Lucky for them they have the money to spend on such things. Personally I'd feel lucky just to afford to get to the base camp. But, using other people, even if absolutely necessary, to reach your personal goals, considering the risks involved, deserves appropriate compensation not exploitation, and an appreciation for individual choice. Anything else shows tremendous lack of wisdom and compassion.

Wonderful film about people at the bottom of the food chain standing up for their rights against the foreign companies and their own government who are using them. This is the story you never see in stupid Hollywood movies like "Everest".Climbing Everest has become a huge industry where rich foreigners pay climbing expedition companies like Russell Brice's Himalayan Experience large amounts of money (up to a 100000 USD) to fulfill their "dream" to climb and reach the top of the mountain. The local Sherpas who are climbing experts are hired to take all the biggest risks and lay the path for the foreigners but are only paid a small fraction (5000 USD per climb) of what the company earns. The Nepalese government also takes a big cut (about one third) with out providing any benefits or insurances for the Sherpas or their families.Russel Brice personifies everything that is wrong with this industry. In front of the camera he lies several times to his clients (the foreign climbers), about the Sherpas being threatened to have their legs broken by some of their own people if they continue climbing. He is basically trying to vilify some of the Sherpas and turn them against each other, instead of taking any responsibility when all they are doing is demanding fair treatment and payment. Russell also tells his clients that the Sherpas and their families will have nothing to eat if they don't climb which we later in the film see is simply not true. They have other sources of income and their families don't even want them to climb. I can only hope this guy goes out of business soon!!!

Isn't that grand?Russell Brice, the New Zealand owner of Himalayan Experience, is the sort of person one would cross the street simply to kick in the shins (or worse).His attitude towards the Sherpa is, at best, patronizing. He calls them "boys", and insists their unhappiness has been provoked by outside agitators. (One is surprised he doesn't say "Communists".)His attempts to communicate comprise utterly disingenuous remarks ("Please tell me if I've done anything to anger you"), and empty platitudes ("We've got to keep moving forward"). Nowhere does he suggest that the Sherpa's concerns are more important than the continued success of his business, complaining at one point that he can't recoup the cost of rope if the climb is canceled."Sherpa" is nothing if not an attack on the way the gross materialism of Western "culture" corrupts almost everything it touches. No longer do you have to struggle to put together your own expedition. The Sherpa "boys" will do //all// the work for you. Just fork over a lot of money. One is reminded of films in which African bearers lug the accoutrements of the Western wealthy, so they can have a comfortable journey.