Tenzing review – reconstruction of first summit of Everest puts Sherpa at the centre of the story

Genden Phuntsok infuses his depiction of Tenzing Norgay with warmth and naivety, while Tom Hiddleston delivers a suitably straightforward performance as Edmund Hillary.

This film is a well-meaning, engaging, if occasionally gentle, production featuring National Geographic-caliber visuals and computer-generated peril on towering peaks. It centers on the triumphant 1953 Mount Everest expedition, where the final summit was reached by Nepalese-Indian climber Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary.

Tenzing, a former Sherpa guide whose unmatched familiarity with the mountain and outstanding climbing abilities elevated him to a full expedition member, is portrayed by Tibetan actor Genden Phuntsok, while Hillary is strongly played by Tom Hiddleston. Screenwriter Luke Davies and director Jennifer Peedom aim to rightly restore Tenzing’s achievement to the story’s core—a tale that at the time was overwhelmingly attributed to Hillary and the British Empire: a glorious vindication of Scott’s Antarctic disaster 41 years earlier and a divine blessing for the upcoming coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Continue reading...