Review: "Limitless: Live Better Now" is an Inspiring and Productive Mid-Life Crisis with Chris Hemsworth

After the success of Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, the A-lister and National Geographic have teamed up once again to take on life’s toughest challenges in Limitless: Live Better Now.

Back in 2022, National Geographic invited viewers to join Chris Hemsworth as he faced life’s universal challenge: aging. In Limitless with Chris Hemsworth, the Marvel actor aimed to face mental decline head-on by pushing his body and mind to the limits. During the series, Hemsworth learned he has a predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease providing the Australian with an even greater drive to find ways to extend life and improve longevity.

Three years later, Hemsworth is back for another set of challenges in Limitless: Live Better Now. As the name implies, the series aims to showcase how we need to challenge ourselves and strengthen our minds and bodies to live not just longer, but better lives. From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa, Jane Root’s Nutopia, and Chris Hemsworth and Ben Grayson’s Wild State, Hemsworth is set to push himself farther physically and mentally to combat life’s challenges. Filmed over two years and filmed across 6 different continents, Hemsworth is pushing the limits again in the new three part adventure.

In the first episode “Brain Power," Hemsworth takes on drumming to improve memory and cognitive function. With just months to master the instrument, he will face his fears performing in front of 70,000 people with Ed Sheeran.

Our next adventure with Hemsworth,"Pain," sees the actor head to South Korea to face his chronic pain through ancient healing traditions and science. Facing “pain valley" as part of his final test, Chris will push himself to his limits.

And rounding out the new saga, inspired by his children’s ability to take risks, Chris will attempt to climb a 600-foot Alpine dam in the Swiss Alps in “Risk." Utilizing explore therapy and a state of hyperfocus called Flow, he highlights the mental and physical health benefits of taking risks.

Having had the chance to check out Limitless: Live Better Now, I found myself initially met with mixed feelings. On one hand, it is rare we see a huge celebrity acknowledge the realities of aging, especially one known for his superhero build. It is also refreshing to see him take on new skills, getting to see the process of having stage fright, facing body limitations, experiencing pain, and failing and trying again. Especially during a rehearsal for Hemsworth’s drum gig with Ed Sheeran, seeing the band he is practicing with be brutally honest with him about his lack of skills was incredibly relatable. On the other hand, many of these challenges are inaccessible to the average person. In essence, we are watching Hemsworth have the most productive midlife crisis one could have. Fighting to maintain his physical and mental health, it is admirable to see him prioritize his longevity so vivaciously. It just teeters the line between “look what I can do" vs “look what you can do" very precariously.

I do want to highlight Hemsworth’s charismatic and genuine presence. I think he is a very passionate and down-to-earth host who genuinely wants to inspire other people to challenge their fears and their bodies. Without that, Limitless: Live Better Now could have felt incredibly vapid and self serving. But it’s hard not to root for him, and it really keeps you drawn into his adventures.

Among my gripes, I did find some really great inspiring moments throughout Limitless, especially in “Pain." As Hemsworth dives into South Korean Special Forces who use pain as a tool in combat, he faces pain head on rather than cowering from it. He explores the difference in pain tolerance with his friends, playing jenga with a special muscle contractor device as they work through their pain together. Chris also had an eye-opening dive into South Korean culture, exploring the difference between pain and suffering with monks. In the third chapter, “Risk" opens a really interesting conversation around the rewards of facing our fears and not letting them control us from taking life head on, highlighting the difference reframing fear of failure to challenges and increasing dopamine reception.

Overall, I think if you are someone looking to find inspiration to reframe your life through mental and physical growth or you just really like Chris Hemsworth, you’ll love Limitless: Live Better Now.

The three part series is set to debut on August 15th on Disney+ and Hulu, and on August 25th on National Geographic.

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