The Porter: The Untold Story at Everest

So often these nature trek docs take on a self-righteous tone, and The Porter rises above the pack in both its portrayal of porters and in the humble yet adventurous attitude of its other subject, Nate. While it rightly touches on the hardships of porter life, the highlight of this film is the joy, hospitality, and sense of humor of the porters and locals as Nate ascends Everest. Beautifully shot and endlessly inspiring.

"Walk a mile in their shoes... if you can."

The Porter is a refreshing yet sobering dive into the lives of Nepalese Sherpas, the men and women who, six months out of the year, lug the oversized baggage of affluent Westerners determined to conquer Everest. It's a journey through the stark reality of Sherpa life, exposing the invisible backbone of luxury mountain climbing - a pursuit where a ticket up the world's tallest peak can easily run beyond 60,000 Euro. So, not your average getaway. For that price, you get a chance to revel in frostbite, brush up against mortality, and maybe even return with an impressive new set of mountain ailments.

Enter Nathaniel J. Menninger, a Westerner who set out to document what it's really like to endure the Sherpas' daily grind. Attempting to carry loads up to 100kg over 11 days, he made it to the end (after nearly collapsing on day four). His adventure highlights both the grueling conditions and the shockingly low wages Sherpas earn - a pittance, supplemented only by optional tourist tips, which, unsurprisingly, are not always forthcoming.

On the technical front, The Porter is stripped to its bones - perhaps a bit too bare. The documentary's minimalism might leave you feeling as if it ended mid-sentence. While Menninger earns kudos for living through a slice of Sherpa life, his editorial finesse could use some polish. Still, it's a worthy watch for anyone curious about the people who shoulder Everest's weight, figuratively and quite literally.

What truly captivated me about this documentary was how raw it was. Not only was the quality of the footage incredible, but the storyline had me feeling as if I was right there with them.

I found myself deeply invested in Nate's story and everyone that was introduced along the way. I also felt an emotional connection to the hardships and joy they felt throughout the journey.

For anyone who is passionate about adventure, looking to learn something new, or wants to become transported into the Himalayas I highly recommend The Porter: The Untold Story at Everest. You won't be disappointed!

Not trying to diminish what Nathaniel did, but "white dude carries way too many bags up a hill for other white people who would rather pay someone to do it rather than tire themselves out" isn't really that interesting a story, even though almost 30 reviews would have you believe it is. The production values aren't much, in that a lot of it is shot inside a dimly lite hut, the sound is pretty rough with much of the outdoor sound being covered in wind noise, a wind sock apparently wasn't packed, so I'm guessing it was all camera or phone microphone.

It is an interesting insight into the local world of porters though so it definitely gets merit points for that.

Nate takes on the audacious goal of emersion into the porter life. The film does an impressive job of documenting the daily life of the nepali people who carry loads up the trail to Mount Everest.