THE STORY – Lhakpa, a Nepalese woman now living in the U.S., has shattered world records in climbing Mount Everest. Despite traumatic events from her past, she doesn’t give up and should be an inspiration to us all.
THE CAST – Lhakpa Sherpa
THE TEAM – Lucy Walker (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes
The Netflix original documentary “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa” (now streaming) delivers an intimate, gripping portrayal of resilience, survival, and the never-ending pursuit of one’s dreams. Directed by Lucy Walker, who previously helmed the Oscar-nominated “Waste Land,” this documentary shows us the awe-inspiring journey of Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest and survive. While the film follows familiar beats of similar inspirational documentaries – the Oscar-winning “Free Solo” comes to mind – it makes a case for its existence by exploring the complex nature of Lhakpa as a person and her deep connection to Everest.
“Mountain Queen” opens with breathtaking scenes of Lhakpa on Everest, and then the narrative flashes back six weeks, setting up the stakes and clueing us into her motivations and struggles. The film is mainly in English, as Lhakpa has lived in the U.S. with her two daughters for quite some time. The documentary slightly falters regarding fleshing out her life back home, as we spend little time in the build-up to her most recent summit. Fortunately, in the later scenes, we hear from both of her daughters. One is distant and hardly speaks, whereas the other wants to know more about their late father and even accompanies Lhakpa on her latest trip to Everest (as far as base camp). While Lhakpa prepares and embarks on that particular summit, we learn more about her past, starting with her resistance to traditional Nepali ways. She was always unlike the other girls: she wanted the same jobs that men had and had no plans of marrying. Unfortunately, after she gave birth out of wedlock and the father left her, she was on her own and forced to make a living for herself and her son. Despite numerous obstacles, she was determined to summit Everest, and she did. While working on the mountain, she met George, a Romanian American she would eventually marry; the couple moved to the U.S. and had two children together – and even hiked Everest together. However, it wasn’t long before George showed his abusive personality and became a danger to Lhakpa and her children.
The film’s editing seamlessly interweaves her current-day climb with raw, sometimes heartbreaking footage from her past, offering a comprehensive view of a woman whose life is as dangerous and remarkable as the mountain she reveres. Lhakpa’s story is not one of just physical endurance but also a testament to her survival against a dark and tumultuous past, including an abusive marriage and a society (Nepal’s Sherpas) that often dismissed her ambitions. “Mountain Queen” shines in its depiction of Sherpa culture and Lhakpa’s reverence for Everest as a sort of God. Moments of her donning traditional Sherpa garb during one-on-one interviews beautifully contrast with the more rugged outdoor shots, thereby highlighting the duality of her identity as a trailblazer and a keeper of her cultural roots. The cinematography effectively captures Everest’s beauty and danger, but the camera work occasionally lacks focus. This is clearly intentional, but it can distract from the emotional weight of certain scenes. Additionally, the sound effects used to simulate the assaults Lhakpa endured feel unnecessary and detract from the film’s overall tone.
Despite some minor flaws, “Mountain Queen” excels at portraying Lhakpa as a complex, deeply human figure. Her honesty about the physical toll of climbing and her reflection on the traumatic events in her life reveal a vulnerability that makes her story incredibly compelling. Lhakpa is easy to admire: a woman who has faced unimaginable challenges yet remains unshakably determined and fearless.
The film’s climax, which shows Lhakpa’s most recent summit, is breathtaking and symbolic. While this might have been a more decisive ending point, the decision to include her moments of recognition and appreciation afterward is heartwarming and satisfying. The result is a moving portrait of an extraordinary woman whose reverence for Everest transcends physical achievement, embodying spiritual resilience and human endurance. “Mountain Queen” doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre, but it’s hard not to be inspired by Lhakpa Sherpa — a survivor in every sense of the word — and her awe for the mountain she views as a deity. As such, her appreciation for the sun and the natural world is infectious.
