Tenzing Review: Inspiring but Formulaic Old-School Adventure at TIFF 2026

Apple TV appears to be embracing inspirational biopics as a centerpiece of its 2026 film slate. The streamer brought two such titles to the Toronto International Film Festival, and while the People’s Choice Award runner-up “Being Heumann” has attracted the most attention — understandably, given that Siân Heder’s latest film surpasses even her Best Picture Oscar winner “CODA” and features a groundbreaking ensemble of disabled actors — the festival’s other feel-good true story, “Tenzing,” should not be overlooked.

Directed by Jennifer Peedom and written by Luke Davies, “Tenzing” chronicles the life of Tenzing Norgay, portrayed at different stages by Samdrup Dorje Lama, Tenzin Dalha and Genden Phuntsok. In 1953, Tenzing and Sir Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston) made mountaineering history by becoming the first men to reach the summit of Mount Everest, or Chomolungma, as it is known in Tibetan. The film moves between that landmark expedition and flashbacks tracing the determined climber’s path to the mountain’s peak.

British expeditions in the Himalayas depended heavily on Sherpa guides, yet Tenzing was the first local climber accepted as an official member of a British team. He had previously taken part in the 1952 Swiss expedition, which came closer to the summit than any attempt before it. For the British climbers, Everest and the natural world represent challenges to be conquered. Tenzing sees Chomolungma differently: his ascent is also a spiritual encounter with the mountain goddess. That worldview gives the film its emotional center, while his warmth, ambition and resistance to both physical and social barriers make him an instantly sympathetic protagonist.

Tenzing Norgay’s story is what drew Peedom to her first narrative feature after years of directing mountain-climbing documentaries, including 2014’s “Sherpa” and 2017’s “Mountain.” Her documentary background — shared in spirit by Willem Dafoe, who narrates “Mountain” and appears here as British expedition leader John Hunt — gives “Tenzing” an unusually tactile sense of realism.

Parts of the film were shot in Nepal, while New Zealand’s mountains double for the Himalayas in other sequences. Together, those locations create a genuinely immersive experience: the cast appears to be enduring enough cold, wind and altitude that the expedition feels convincing. Digital effects are inevitable — Tom Hiddleston was not actually suspended over an ice crevasse — but even the occasional less-polished green-screen shot fits the movie’s throwback adventure aesthetic.

Given the scale and care of the production, it is frustrating that “Tenzing” is receiving only a limited awards-qualifying theatrical run before arriving on streaming a week later. Viewers watching at home may not feel the same impact as audiences who experienced the film on the big screen at TIFF. Festival excitement can sometimes inflate reactions, particularly for movies destined for streaming, but that concern feels especially relevant here. Apple has already shown with “F1” that it can turn a crowd-pleasing adventure into a theatrical success, making the decision not to give “Tenzing” a stronger cinema run difficult to understand.

Keeping the narrative firmly centered on Tenzing is a defensible choice, although a fuller exploration of his friendship with Edmund Hillary would have been welcome. Fortunately, the performances by Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston communicate the depth of their connection. The film also emphasizes their shared status as outsiders: Edmund is a New Zealander among the British climbers — prompting the joke, “We’re still figuring that out,” when Tenzing asks what a Kiwi is — while Tenzing finds himself an outsider not only among the white expedition members but also among Sherpas from other tribes, as the exact location of the real Tenzing’s birth remains disputed. Willem Dafoe brings considerable comic energy to John Hunt, the only other climber given a particularly distinct personality, though expanding the rest of the team might not have added much to this focused character study.

Dawa, Tenzing’s wife, is a more significant omission. Played by Thinley Lhamo, she has died by the time of the 1953 expedition, yet her memory becomes one of the central forces driving her husband’s final attempt. The flashbacks to their relationship do little to reveal who she was beyond a devoted and supportive wife, weakening the film’s emotional payoff. A historical drama about a traditionally male profession does not need to meet the Bechdel Test to succeed, but richer female characterization would have made this story considerably stronger.

When Tenzing practices the English sentence “Mister, I am an amazing worker” while seeking his first climbing job, nerves turn the line into “I am Mr. Amazing.” By the time he reaches the summit of Chomolungma, he has earned the nickname in full. The film named for him, however, falls short of matching its hero’s legend. “Tenzing” is never a failure, but its straightforward storytelling lacks the spark that might have made it exceptional. Even so, this is sturdy, accessible entertainment with enough heart and adventure to appeal to viewers of nearly any age.

“Tenzing” premiered at the 2026 Telluride Film Festival, and Looper screened it at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. The film arrives in limited theaters on October 9, followed by its Apple TV streaming debut on October 16.