Everest: The Other Side

I am a big fan of Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's previous documentaries, Meru and Free Solo, so I was excited to see their latest, Everest: The Other Side, yesterday at a matinee (with all of the other retired people who are now my best friends).  This follows elite ski mountaineers and romantic partners Jim Morrison and Hilaree Nelson as they attempt to climb and then ski down the more remote and treacherous north face of Mount Everest (only five people had successfully completed this climb and no one had ever skied down).  After Nelson is tragically killed by an avalanche during a practice climb on nearby Mount Manaslu, Morrison returns several years later to complete their quest with Chin in her memory.  It goes without saying that cinematography is absolutely spectacular (see it in IMAX if you can) with breathtaking aerial footage captured by drones to show the scale of the expedition and Go-Pro shots that put the audience right on the mountain with the climbers (the latter definitely creates several white-knuckle moments, especially during the avalanche sequences and the climbs through the couloirs).  However, what I found most compelling (and disturbing) is the discussion about the hubris of pursuing a dream at any cost.  It is suggested that it is especially irresponsible for a parent to participate in such a dangerous sport when there is a very real possibility that they could be abandoning their children permanently.  Many of the climbers' family members are interviewed and express their fears about what could happen but I was particularly struck by Vasarhelyi's emotional reaction when Chin (her husband and father of their two children) tells her that Morrison wants to go back to Everest with him as his climbing partner as well as their subsequent discussion about the risks vs. the rewards (it was interesting to learn that she filed for divorce during the final climb).  The most poignant interviews are those with Nelson's teenage sons Quinn and Grayden because they are clearly devastated by the loss of their mother but reiterate that climbing was her passion and nothing could have stopped her from pursuing what she loved.  I'm not sure this absolves Nelson for her choice and it definitely left a bad taste in my mouth when Morrison pushes his sherpas to continue after one of them is severely injured.  I would definitely rate this as my least favorite of Vasarhelyi and Chin's mountain trilogy but it is exhilarating.

Note:  It was also very off-putting to see the sherpas establish all of the rope lines and camps along the way while Morrison and Chin wait in their tents with all of their expensive North Face gear.