National Geographic
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Airs on Disney+ on 16 November
ON THE face of it, Thor star Chris Hemsworth lives an idyllic life. The Hollywood A-lister is married to another successful actor, Fast & Furious鈥榮 Elsa Pataky, with whom he has three children.
But he makes it clear at the start of his documentary Limitless With Chris Hemsworth that he experiences the same mental and health issues as everyone else. Over six episodes, Hemsworth sets out to show that, rather than being overwhelmed by your problems, scientific studies demonstrate that it is much healthier to confront them.
With the help of experts, he puts himself in more and more precarious situations. These include walking along a crane atop an 80-storey skyscraper, climbing 30 metres up a rope dangling over a canyon and fasting for four days.
As he endures the challenges, doctors and specialists explain both how his heart, brain and organs react and the negative health impact on his body, before they detail how to handle it.
Hemsworth is out to extend his life expectancy, showing that if he can repair bodily damage, maximise strength, build resilience, supercharge memory and confront mortality, so can we.
The actor is a compelling host. Honest and vulnerable, he articulates his feelings and reactions in an illuminating way. And he is backed up by fine consultants offering useful advice.
It is just a shame that each episode feels 10 to 20 minutes too long. Ultimately, this micro-series ends up more like a lecture than fun, when it should be both.
