Pedal the World

I watched expedition happiness and really really enjoyed it. The camera work was brilliant the narrative was great and real. This.... this was lacking. Lacking a story on anything but himself. Yes this was about his journey but yet we learn nothing, absolutely nothing about anyone else, not even when he 'falls in love'. He phrases things such as 'I rode to here... I did this' - I questioned a few times whether lady lover was even still with him. I mean it must be exhausting filming a documentary, but this was what he wanted to do and it had so much more potential. Wish he had shown or talked about more of the connections and experiences he went through and the people he met. On the positive well done for doing such an awesome journey.

If he's looking for meaning, he needs to stop looking at himself. I love cycling and I love travel stories, but this is the most self-indulgent thing you could ever imagine. Technically it's very good for an amateur film-maker, but I can't believe that anyone could watch all of it. I fast-forwarded through it and it seemed that every time a stopped he was filming himself in a 360 degree shot with his face taking up about 90 percent of the shot.

If he would have taken about half as much crap he wouldn't have spent the entire trip complaining and basically being miserable. He even shows a part where another pair of cyclist on a trip shake their heads at the weight he is hauling. His bike looks like he's moving from one side of the world to the other and taking literally all of his possessions. He leaves towing a trailer, but then in the very first shot of him cycling it's gone.

And does he ever complain a lot. He complains about leaving. He complains about the first few kilometers, and then about everything the entire trip.

Title of the movie suggests that viewers will see both pedaling and world, but director is mostly filming his face and talking about himself. It's presumable that viewers want to learn something while watching this kind of film but unfortunately ther is nothing to learn. It is even considered as inspiring documentary according to Netflix, but it isn't. If you want to watch this film as part of your pedaling preparation, don't be surprised if you don't find it useful. Also titles are out of order sometimes, resolution is bad from time to time, and music has nothing to do with the topic. This is more of a private video-diary than "inspiring documentary". That's why 4 out of 10.

This is pain.

Guy who has the opportunity to travel for a whole year instead of working- but feels sorry for himself most of the time. And all those beautiful panoramic landscapes are just stupid, swirling selfies.

No reflection that deserves a platform anywhere to be found, just vanity. No conversations, no real interactions with local people- he even called one of them "a fan" somewhere in there, we never see him show kindness, just him being at the receiving end of it. I am actually really stunned that he didn't see how bad this all makes him look when he looked through the footage.

I watched it all, and wondered if Netflix really should have my money. Seriously?! Is this worthy of that platform?

Love the idea of cycling the world but this is a hard to watch documentary. Bad editing, no creativity in story or how to film places or people and no depth. Lacking in depth is the biggest failure. Immense respect for the fact that he did what he did, that's why i give it a 4. But i suggest he take a course on editing and i hope he has more depth then he shows in de documentary.