Marc-André Leclerc climbs alone, on remote alpine faces. No cameras, no rope, and no margin for error. Climbing for Leclerc is spiritual and brings peace to his roaming mind. He doesn't climb for awards or notoriety. He climbs mountains for the purest of all reasons: because they are there.

Co-directors Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen are climbers themselves. Their talented eyes balance the wonders of the mountain top views with the dangers that one slip can bring. Fans of the Oscar winner Free Solo should seek out Mortimer's The Dawn Wall, which is an equally-compelling documentary also filmed at El Capitan.

Here, both Mortimer and Rosen's talents are tested with The Alpinist as free spirit Leclerc is not one who sits still. Nor does he exhibit the patience for the schedules of film crews let alone delays due to the weather. Leclerc notoriously climbs solo. He disappears, and not only when climbing. He is always seeking solitary space. When the cameras are able to capture him hard at play, the end result is spectacular.

Similar to other mountaineering documentaries, The Alpinist is a story of perseverance and strength. Unlike others, The Alpinist does not merely balance on the edge of triumph and tragedy, but intermixes the two into a gut-punch of a finale. Marc-André Leclerc is an incredible climber whose spirit is as indomitable as the peaks he summits. Leclerc, in all his humility, is quite the beacon for those who wish to overcome any obstacle, be it addiction, mental illness, or that mountain on the horizon. Through Leclerc, the human adventure continues.

Going to the theater without knowing who he is. I have watched Free Solo a few years ago and loved this type of documentary. MA is such a free spirit individual. He didn't care about the money or fame, he just wanted to enjoy what he loved to do... climbing. It is nice to watch a documentary with narration on the side. Seeing all these beautiful exciting adventure he took me with on the screen.... so breathtaking but scary at the same time.

It was a big shocker at the end of the movie...... since I didn't know who he is, of course I didn't know about the tragic accident.

I am so glad he agreed to be feature in this film so that we can remember & recognize what the accomplishments he had done! RIP.

If you felt your palms getting sweaty watching the Oscar winning Free Solo then all I can say is get ready to relive that experience plus some as documentarians Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen give us a first hand view at the exploits of free climbing alpinist Marc-André Leclerc, a man who defies the odds of what you'd expect a mere human to do as he goes about his business of conquering some of the most infamous mountains in the world, without even a safety rope to call a friend.

More rough around the edges and less focused than Free Solo was, documentary filmmakers and long term members of the climbing community Mortimer and Rosen may not be able to give The Alpinist the high quality sheen that was found in the examination of Alex Honnold's adventures defying death but in many ways that suits the stories main protagonist just fine as Leclerc remains throughout this film unfazed about what he does and plans too do, often without fanfare and often without even letting Mortimer and Rosen know what his got in store for his next mission.

An eccentric and unique character, Leclerc is a climber that is clearly more in-tune with the spiritual and individual side of what his profession entails rather than the sport or competitiveness and even on multiple occasions wonders why Mortimer or Rosen would bother following him around or be interested in documenting his exploits and there's a refreshing aspect to The Alpinist in regards to being able to partake on this journey with an individual who is true to himself above everything else and is not at all interested in playing a part people would perhaps like to see him play.

Capturing some incredible moments on camera (an ice wall climb in Canada is one of the most terrifying and wonderful things you'll see on screen in recent memory),The Alpinist is also a feast for the eyes and senses with there likely to be multiple occasions throughout Mortimer and Rosen's film where you must remind yourself that what you are seeing is indeed real, as Leclerc continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, mostly without a second thought of research or practice before he sets out to achieve what perhaps no one else would ever dream of accomplishing.

At days end there's nothing groundbreaking about what The Alpinist does or explores but with such a unique figure at its core and some truly unforgettable documentations of human feats that need to be seen to be believed, this is one of 2021's most memorable documentaries.

Final Say -

It's not quite as well put together or as focused as Free Solo but The Alpinist is a thrilling, eye-opening and even emotionally affecting examination of a man who pushes himself and the human experience to the very limits of what is to be thought possible.

3 1/2 ice picks out of 5.

For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)