‘The Last First: Winter K2’ Review: The Latest Unheeded Warning About Climbing the Savage Mountain

A group of climbers, ranging from novices to experienced mountaineers, sought to reach the summit of K2, the world's second-highest peak. Experts unanimously agree that K2 is more treacherous than Mount Everest. Without a licensing board to evaluate climbing experience, and with countries like Pakistan and Nepal relying on the revenue from wealthy adventurers, the risks become even greater.

This was the theme of "The Summit," a 2012 documentary by Nick Ryan. In Amir Bar-Lev's latest film, "The Last First: Winter K2," these dangers remain, despite advances in equipment like GoPros that capture more footage. The allure of social media and the desire for likes fuels the pursuit of scaling Everest, now resembling a bustling Disneyland more than a dangerous mountain.

Winter climbing of K2 presents an even greater challenge, with added risks of colder temperatures, shorter days, and higher winds. Even experienced climbers can perish in such conditions. Bar-Lev's documentary explores the clash of personalities and motivations of the climbers, including John Snorri Sigurjónsson and father-son duo Muhammad Ali and Sajid Sadpara, who saw it as a chance to make history; Nepalese speed climber Nimsdai Purja, who sought glory for Nepal and its sherpas; and those who used the professional service Seven Summit, who were novices and unprepared.

The documentary highlights the risks and potential consequences of human hubris, but it also raises the question of how much danger is inherent to the mountain, and how much is contributed by the climbers themselves.