FLY by Nat Geo Doc Films debuted on Disney+ and Hulu on Sept. 24th! SEE IT!!

​

This saying has been credited to inventor and dreamer Leo Da Vinci: “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.” Luckily for us, many have taken this statement to heart.

The documentary “Fly” shows the early days of men attempting to fly like birds with homemade wings. This is clearly the early days of film, as well. It’s as if film was created only to capture people in the pursuit of making the dream of lifting themselves off the earth, in flight, a reality. Man wasn’t meant to be tethered down. Why should we be stuck on the ground when we have such great minds! Surely, they can help in the quest of flight. But how? Here, we see men trying to answer that question and failing repeatedly and in spectacular B&W.

On February 4th, 1912, Franz Reichelt jumped off the Eiffel Tower in Paris using a suit he had created. Dummies had taken the trip for him before this date… and should have continued to, but it’s in pursuing our dreams that things move forward. It may not have worked out for him, but it does for BASE jumpers today. Watching this on an IMAX screen will give you the sensation that you are one of them.

Jumping in the Alps in Switzerland, people in suits look like flying squirrels. They’re completely relaxed as if their own skin was meant to be flight-ready. Are they cheating death because this is not supposed to be possible? You tell me the next airplane you step onto. Is it crazy? Is it essential for the future? People who started BASE jumping used to be seen as outlaws; now, it’s considered one of the most extreme of sports, and those who enjoy it couldn’t be happier… even though their pets and many of their family members aren’t too crazy with what they consider bliss. The scene showing how a dog reacts to what his daddy does will leave you filled with laughter and sadness.

Director Shaul Schwarz and co-director Christina Clusiau are heard asking friends and family of the jumpers in the film, such as Jimmy, Marta, Scotty, Amber, Julia and Espen serious questions you need answers to. No question really lends to your overall relief of the tension in the film, which is hanging there because of every dangerous choice these athletes make. They know it’s risky but want the sport to be secure. They test new areas to glide and try new gear to make things safer for everyone. There isn’t a Tiger Woods in this game of flying, so the people you meet here are the pioneers. They are just a bunch of regular folks with no fear of dying. Jimmy tells us he “Never made a jump that was worth my life.” Well, each dive tests the accuracy of that comment.

This is an honest look at how it works out for them initially and possibly at the end. You spend almost two hours, about thirty minutes too long, getting to know them quite well, and you develop apprehensions for what they consider a passion. Schwarz and Clusiau do a beautiful job of getting you to care, but you never will understand why these people, who vary in age, don’t worry more for themselves. Espen eventually worries for his better half, but not enough to walk away from the thrill he, and the rest, must get when he steps to the edge of a rock, building, or platform and leaps, endorphins spreading through his body, releasing stress and giving him a better high than any chemical ever could. The only thing that matters is that they come back intact. That remains to be seen.

They have gorgeous views as they weave and zoom down a cliff in different, incredibly stunning places to escape their lives for a while, such as (I’m assuming) Marlboro Point in Moab, Utah. They’re in Moab; I’m just not exactly sure what they’re soaring above, but this place will take you away for a stretch of time. The spectacular views must be seen on the largest screen from which you can observe. If you can’t see this on IMAX, see it in your home because you can’t miss the beauty and excitement “Fly” will lend you… and that the jumpers pass on.

Parents should be aware that this film features GoPro perspectives of people falling, getting injured, and screaming in pain, which may not be good for those who are sensitive to the reality of it all.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Hashtag: #FlyFilm

Instagram: @NatGeoDocs 

Facebook: NatGeoDocs