Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston perfectly have all the snow trimmings in Tenzing.

by Henry Pham

Welcome to Mount Everest, folks. Tenzing is a biographical drama that recounts the true story of Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, the first confirmed people to reach the summit of Mount Everest during the 1953 British expedition. Directed by documentary filmmaker Jennifer Peedom in her narrative feature debut, the film offers a compelling portrayal of the era’s social structure and hierarchy, particularly in Britain. It also highlights the authentic friendship that develops between Hillary and Norgay, with their dynamic effectively conveying both Tenzing’s personal journey and their shared achievement.

Unknown Chinese actor Genden Phuntsok delivers an outstanding performance as Tenzing Norgay, portraying him as calm, sensible, and deeply connected to the mountains from a young age. Phuntsok’s presence and charisma match that of Tom Hiddleston, who is widely recognized as an actor portraying Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this film, Hiddleston excels as Edmund Hillary, presenting him as a supportive and intelligent figure. The chemistry between Phuntsok and Hiddleston is compelling, and their evolving friendship is thoughtfully depicted. Four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe and Caitríona Balfe are also entertaining.

Rebekka Karijord’s soundtrack is beautiful and noteworthy, while the landscapes are impressive, breathtaking, and gorgeously captured, mostly due to Peedom’s professional role as a documentarian. The editing, direction, and the screenplay are also impressive. The story moves between three different periods: Tenzing’s childhood, his adulthood, and the present day, which complement beautifully, laying the groundwork for Tenzing’s lifetime while also taking us from the present back into the past. One warning for viewers: towards the end of the film, the characters’ emotions are so palpable and tear-jerking that you (like myself) will most likely find yourself weeping along with them.

Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston perfectly have all the snow trimmings in Tenzing. I really enjoyed this movie, not because of Hiddleston, but also Phuntsok. Even though it’s released on Apple TV, this film deserves to be in theaters in my humble opinion, and it definitely deserves some Oscars for existing in our hearts, eyes, and minds. It swept me away like so, and it clocks in at 125 minutes, but you won’t feel forced when you come across the most fascinating adventure in your lifetime. It is one of the best films of 2026, and it makes me feel so glad movies like this are still being made today. Nowadays, we have remakes, reboots, and sequels instead. This film is a must-watch.

GRADE: A+