Fly marks another documentary from National Geographic in what can best be described as the maniacs performing death-defying stunts in globetrotting locations genre. The documentary follows base-jumpers and wing-suiters who travel the world leaping off buildings, bridges, and mountains to soar through the air on their way to Earth. Of course, to paraphrase Toy Story, they are not flying but falling with style, and the footage of them doing so against stunning alpine backdrops is certainly stylish.
The documentary appears to be a natural successor to the 2019 breakout hit, and Oscar-winning, Free Solo. However, while Fly is impressive it is missing a certain alchemy and sense of scale that means while it flies it never really soars. The footage is remarkable, and the subject matter insane, but the film never feels like it necessitates an IMAX, or any big screen, presentation. Everything is undeniably cool to see but feels like a montage of YouTube footage, like those People are Awesome videos which swept the early 2010s, which has been blown up to a 1:43:1 ratio. Not much will be lost in watching the documentary at home when eventually released on Disney+.
One problem is that while stakes are high, and tragedy abounds, the filmmakers struggle to find an emotional throughline to captivate us. Yes, the participants are likeable and stray the line between delightfully mad and just plain maddening. The evocation of community they find within each other as a diaspora of unlikely adrenaline junkies is also fairly compelling. However, no one proves quite as arresting as the odd charisma machine that is Free Solo’s Alex Honnold.
The documentary excels in its sound design as we hear the rushing of wind, the friction of an unfurling parachute, and the pop of ropes becoming taught. However, the traditional intersection of home footage, expansive vistas, and talking heads quickly begins to feel formulaic.
Where things prove most impactful is where there are literal impacts. It may be morbid to say, but the film comes into its own when things go wrong as people slam into rock faces or crash into the ground. Here a frenetic energy and tension take over and the film gathers momentum. It is also here that the sacrifice, drive, and addiction that such pursuits require come to the fore, and we get a more compelling insight into the psychological profiles of those who do them.