Throughout history, men and women have been inspired to push the limits. It’s been the limits of technology. The limits of creativity. And, at times, the limits of their own bodies. All of it is in pursuit of being the first to achieve something that had previously seemed impossible.

K2 is the second highest mountain in the world. Getting to its summit takes a great feat of physical strength, endurance, and planning. And that’s during the best of times. But what about trying it when conditions aren’t at their peak? That’s the case in the new documentary The Last First: Winter K2.

As the name suggests, the documentary captures the efforts of brave climbers in expeditions to try and summit the mountain during winter. It’s regarded as the last uncrossed barrier when it comes to K2, and it was a challenge that tested and enticed those who tried. This documentary captures the people who took on that challenge, and what resulted.

As you might imagine, it’s not a smooth experience. We’re introduced to a group of climbers, including PJ, John, and Ali, who sought to defy the odds and make history. The film captures those efforts, as narrated in part by the friends and family who spent time concerned and cheering them on.

It’s a harrowing look at a harrowing journey, and one that asks some hard questions about pushing the limits and seeking glory.

The film is directed by Amir Bar-Lev, who has helmed some difficult documentaries before like Happy Valley, about the Penn State scandal, and The Pat Tillman Story. This, similarly, is about a great feat of sports and endurance, but a story of what can go wrong. It made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January before being acquired by Apple TV.

Now, the documentary gets a streaming release on Friday. It runs about 98 minutes and is a combination of footage from the efforts and new interviews recalling the events, which took place in 2021. It’s part of the historical record how things turned out, but this film does a nice job of bringing the story and the expedition to life.

I like the way it captures the beauty K2 and the harrowing conditions. I also enjoyed the way it tried to capture the heart and spirit of the climbers, which makes what ultimately happens hit even harder. It’s well worth seeking out to learn more about this story and about the cost of the pursuit of glory.

The film does a nice job, too, of looking at the way Social Media and a climate of competition continues to push people to go higher and further, often past their reasonable limits. It offers plenty of food-for-thought about our society and what we’re pushing people to do in the name of creating a brand.

The Last First: Winter K2 streams on Apple TV on Friday, October 2.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.