| Explorer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Matthew Dyas |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Chris Openshaw |
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | Rebekka Karijord |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures Content Group |
Release date |
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Running time | 113 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Explorer is a 2022 biographical documentary film about the life and exploits of British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, directed by Matthew Dyas. It was critically acclaimed as a "compelling portrait" of Fiennes.
The film includes both contemporary and archive footage and covers many of aspects of Fiennes' life including self-amputation of his fingers due to frostbite, involvement in the Dhofar Rebellion, leading the Transglobe expedition, being booted out of the SAS, running 7 marathons on 7 days on 7 continents, auditioning for James Bond, and reflections on his personal and family life. [1]
Explorer was released to theatres on 14 July 2022. It was released to video on 30 August 2022. [3]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100 [4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |   [5] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [6] |
| Empire Online | [7] |
| RogerEbert.com |  [8] |
| The Observer | [9] |
| The Times | [10] |
| New Scientist | No rating [11] |
The film holds a metacritic score of 81 denoting reviews as "universal acclaim" [4] which includes a 3 star review by Cath Clarke for the Guardian [5] and a 5 star review by Robbie Collin for the Telegraph . [6] Wendy Ide of the Observer gave the film a rating of 4 stars out of 5, which was higher than the rating awarded by the sister paper the Guardian. She called the film a "compelling portrait" of the subject. [9]
Empire contributor Ian Freer gave a 4 star rating, writing "If it adds little in the way of dissenting voices or a different viewpoint, Explorer tells the tale of a remarkable, stranger-than-fiction life and emerges as an affecting, entertaining portrait of a true eccentric". [7] Nell Minow for RogerEbert.com gave the film a 3.5 star rating writing that the "organization of the film is distracting" however the subject is "never less than enthralling". [8]
Joseph Alberic Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, known as Joseph Fiennes, is an English actor of film, stage, and television. Fiennes is particularly known for his versatility and period pieces. Journalist Zoe Williams observed that "he seemed to be the go-to actor for English cultural history". His numerous accolades include one Screen Actors Guild Award and nomination for a British Academy Film Award.
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor, film producer, and director. He graduated from RADA in 1985. A Shakespeare interpreter, Fiennes excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Widely regarded as one of Britain's most well-known and popular actors, he has received various accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and an Emmy Award.
Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, commonly known as Sir Ranulph Fiennes and sometimes as Ran Fiennes, is a British explorer, writer and poet, who holds several endurance records.
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The Transglobe Expedition (1979–1982) was the first expedition to make a longitudinal (north–south) circumnavigation of the Earth using only surface transport. British adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes led a team, including Oliver Shepard and Charles R. Burton, that attempted to follow the Greenwich meridian over both land and water. They began in Greenwich in the United Kingdom in September 1979 and travelled south, arriving at the South Pole on 15 December 1980. Over the next 14 months, they travelled north, reaching the North Pole on 11 April 1982. Travelling south once more, they arrived again in Greenwich on 29 August 1982. It required traversing both of the poles and the use of boats in some places. Oliver Shepard took part in the Antarctic leg of the expedition. Ginny Fiennes handled all communications between the land team and their support, and ran the polar bases.
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