"Free Solo" (2018 release; 96 min.) is a bio-pick about Alex Honnold and his historic 2017 climb of Yosemite's El Capitan. As the movie open, we see Alex in the later stage of that climb, and the images immediately will cause you to gasp. We then go back to "Spring 2016", when Alex is doing a book tour and comments about why he does what he does. "Chances of falling off are low, but the consequences are high", he wryly observes. Ater a few minutes recapping Alex's upbringing, it isn't long before the movie centers on El Capitan, "the center of the rock-climbing universe"... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from (real life couple) Jimmy Chan and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, who previously brought us the equally excellent "Meru", one of my favorite movies of 2014. Here they document the extraordinary feat accomplished by Alex Hannold of conquering the 3,200 ft. El Capitan. While the movie does well putting everything into the proper context, in particular Alex's budding relationship with his new girlfriend, what makes this so remarkable is that we, the audience at large (whom I suspect are not experts in rock climbing, let alone free solo climbing) are shown how technical and challenging it is to climb up El Capitan, let alone doing it free solo. Alex does many trial runs to grasp and master the most difficult parts of the climb. The last half hour brings us the actual free solo climb (on June 3, 2017),and even though we know the outcome (Alex lives!),it is still stupefying and almost impossible to watch (I admit I covered my eyes on a number of occasions). There are simply no words for it.

"Free Solo" opened in late September in limited release, and immediately caused a sensation. The movie finally opened at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at was PACKED to the rafters in the largest room of the 6 screen theater, something I haven't seen in YEARS. The movie is going to be a box office smash in the art-house theater circuit, and sure to be nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar. Whether you have any interest in rock climbing or not, if you want to see one of the greatest human achievements in sports or you are a thrill-seeker, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

National Geographic presents a documentary on climbing centering on free solo climber Alex Honnold and his girlfriend Sanni McCandless. Alex brings along a film crew as he attempts to be the first person to free solo climb El Capitan. The climbing is awe-inspiring and phobia inducing. Aside from the climbing, there is an interesting bit from an MRI scan and a compelling relationship at its center. There are emotional turns in Alex and some shocking blunt conversations. This is a climb inside a man's interior as well as a climb up a rock face. The climbing is really interesting. Following him up a mountain is not for the faint of heart.

"Free Solo" is an American English-language movie from 2018 and this one was written and directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, both experienced documentary filmmakers and actually these 100 minutes are not even their first film about mountain climbing. But first things first: This one we have here was a really big player this awards season. It won the BAFTA and the Oscar when basically everybody had a feeling "Won't You be My Neighbor" could sweep this year, but the latter did not even get nominated. What is the success story behind Free Solo? Well, it's tough to put a finger on it. I personally have seen some mountain climbing documentaries, but almost none of them (you can cut the "almost" perhaps) impressed me as much as this one here. I generally struggle a lot with the idea of admiring people who risk their lives to reach certain places. But I did not hate this one luckily. This may have had to do with the awkward protagonist Alex Honnold, certainly one of the best free solo climbers on the planet. "Free solo" means as you may have guessed already, climbing without any security whatsoever. No ropes. Nothing. But the film also delivers away from the mere climbing aspect, away from the really amazing shots, truly beautiful stuff.

For example, there is major focus on the relationship between Honnold and his new girlfriend and how she deals with the situation of her significant other constantly risking his life. And also how he deals with her dealing with it. There is a lot of talk about letting your partner live his dreams and not getting in the way of his happiness whatsoever. And there is much more: There are several minor scenes that are interesting snippets though, like when they examine Honnold's brain and realize that his "fear center" needs gigantic thrills to come into effect at all. Or a look at the concept of free solo climbing in general and how many people have died doing it, also some of the greatest to visualize what we all know when we see him in the mountain: One wrong step and you're gone. I don't know how the death rate is compared to other professional climbing activities, but I doubt it is smaller. And finally, on some occasions there is discussion about the camera team. Honnold talks to another climber who is completely against the idea of having a camera team around when he climbs and Honnold himself elaborates on how he sees that: He does not mind the crew, but he wouldn't miss them either. On one occasion he says if he would not want them, he could just go climbing anytime, so I guess he also likes the popularity a bit, even if he probably won't admit it. As for the camera team itself, they also elaborate a bit on how things are going and how they are scared about causing something that could result in a fall for Honnold.

There is really a lot to this documentary. I could keep mentioning specific scenes, but it is better for you to watch and experience it yourself. The final climb sequence is absolutely stunning in terms of how it was filmed. Still I won't deny I think Honnold is a bit of a fool for not even having a parachute with him as we see another climber during one scene. I mean he has a lot to lose, more than his girlfriend whom he described on one occasion as cute and tiny when he is asked to explain why he wants her around during his adventures. He certainly is a bit suicidal, there is no denying. If he is in need of psychologic help, I am not the one to discuss. But I do think because of the couple-themed scenes that are shown on several occasions, this is a good watch for couples together. I sure did not see that coming looking at the genre and general idea behind the film. And these young chicks sure adored Honnold's presence during the Q&A at the beginning. All in all, I still think the rating is a bit too high, but that is also mostly a subjective take because I just cannot grasp the idea of higher(, faster, further) entirely, even if I like the way it was presented here, so from that perspective they did everything right. A bit surprised the Tim McGraw song did not get in at the Oscars either, but the documentary winners sometimes weren't too great in recent years and I guess this one is a step up from some of them. Admittedly some of the video footage is just mindblowing up in the air. Go watch this one.