Movie Reviews

“Bombardier Blood” Movie Review: Chris Bombardier Puts His Life On The Line To Save The Lives Of His Blood Brothers


 

In an attempt to complete the Seven Summits, a do-or-die mountaineer with a severe bleeding disorder risks his life in order to shine a light upon the disturbing lack of access to life-sustaining medicine around the world.

The Bombardier in this documentary is Chris Bombardier, and the Blood symbolizes Hemophilia, a bleeding disorder Chris has had since birth. Many around the world share his disease, and he refers to them as his “blood brothers.” Bombardier shines a blazing spotlight on this disease. It is one which many of us are either unaware of, or know very little about. His story is one of inspiration and dedication as he pushes his own physical limits to bring attention to hemophiliacs in countries where lack of access to the lifesaving treatment called Factor, often means suffering many uncontrolled bleeds due to lack of the normal clotting factor in their blood. Factor, when infused into the bloodstream, adds that critical clotting factor. However, Factor is out of reach to most hemophiliacs in developing countries due to cost.

When injuries bring an end to Chris’s dream of college baseball, he connects with an uncle who is a dedicated outdoorsman. Together, they begin to tackle one experience after another that challenges Chris to push his assumed physical limitations. When he takes on rock and ice climbing those successes push him to the next level, mountain climbing. At that point, Chris travels to Nepal, and in the process of the trip, he connects with local young people suffering from the damage uncontrolled hemophilia inflicts on them when they have no access to the Factor.

This trip and his interactions with fellow hemophiliacs serves as his turning point. Clearly affected by the plight of these “Blood Brothers,” he makes the decision to do everything he can to help bring the Factor to those who have no access to it. He joins with the organization Save One Life and makes a commitment to raise money to provide the Factor to more needing it by climbing the tallest peak on each of the seven continents: “Seven Mountains on Seven Continents.”

This film, through Chris Bombardier, presents what one man can do to help others around the world. When Mount Everest is next in the succession of mountains to be climbed, he made visibly apprehensive by the ominousness of the task. He would be the first hemophiliac to climb the tallest peak in the world, having to infuse the Factor at various points of the climb to protect him from bleeds at high altitude. He even considers turning back as he nears the summit but it is ultimately his commitment to the promise he made to his Blood Brothers that pushes him on. We in the audience realize, watching him struggle, that the ability within us to reach beyond ourselves can be tapped to attain goals that may have been deemed unreachable.

It is inspirational to watch and feel this documentary, directed by fellow hemophiliac James Patrick Lynch. And we see this inspiration lift others to pitch in and assist Chris. Octapharma Plasma, which manufactures the Factor from donated plasma, funded Bombardier’s Everest climb as well as his last mountain ascension in Antarctica, finishing his “Seven Mountains on Seven Continents” pledge. Don’t miss this film if you have the opportunity to see it. You will learn, you will be inspired, and you will greatly admire Chris Bombardier.

 

Available Digitally on August 18th

 

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Mildred Austin

I can remember being a girl fascinated by the original CINDERELLA and trying to understand that the characters weren’t REAL?? But how was that possible? Because my mom was a cinema lover, she often took me with her instead of leaving me with a babysitter. I was so young in my first film experiences, I would stare at that BIG screen and wonder “what were those people up there saying?” And then as a slightly older girl watching Margaret O’Brien in THE RED SHOES, I dreamed of being a ballerina. Later, in a theatre with my mom and aunt watching WUTHERING HEIGHTS, I found myself sobbing along with the two of them as Katherine and Heathcliff were separated forever. I have always loved film. In college in the ’60s, the Granada in Dallas became our “go-to” art theater where we soaked up 8 ½, THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, WILD STRAWBERRIES and every other Bergman film to play there. Although my training is in theatre and I have acted and directed in Repertory Theatre, college and community theatre, I am always drawn back to the films.

I live in Garland and after being retired for 18 years, I have gone back to work in an elementary school library. I am currently serving as an Associate Critic for John Garcia’s THE COLUMN, an online theatre magazine and I see and review local community theatre shows for that outlet. I’m excited to have the opportunity to extend my experiences now to film and review for IRISH FILM CRITIC. See you at the movies - my preferred seat is back row!