Tags
Free Solo (2018)
A documentary about climbing solo up sheer vertical cliffs without safety ropes sounds too crazy-masculine to contain a gentle story of emotional awakening. While Free Solo (2018) celebrates athletic triumph it is also a thoughtful essay on mortality, fear, and self-identity, as it probes into the heart and mind of an elite athlete in an extreme sport.
By his mid-30s, Alex Honnold had achieved a world-class reputation for solo climbing, but despite his achievements, he was taunted by the unconquered El Capitan cliff face of Yosemite National Park. Together with an expert team of photographer climbers, he sets about the rigorous physical and mental preparation for the 3000 feet ascent. For most of the film, we watch him planning and repeatedly climbing El Capitan with safety gear, while documenting every single step and manoeuvre needed for what would be an historic free solo to the top.
While this simple, linear narrative is predictable from the outset, the photography and character study are sublime. Panoptic drones capture close-ups of Alex on vertical granite walls, showing breathtaking toeholds in tiny recesses that barely grip. During the arduous preparation, Alex has an MRI scan that reveals an inert amygdala…a part of the brain that regulates emotion. Coming from a broken home and obsessed in his pursuit of climbing perfection, Alex has no fear and is emotionally closed. The only fear shown in the film is felt by his crew who must mentally rehearse the possibility that they will witness a close friend’s death. The hitherto accident-free athlete enters a relationship with the emotionally warm, wise, and beautiful Sanni McCandless, and for the first time he experiences fall injuries.
With an easy broad smile, wide eyes, and vulnerable humility, Alex is a very likeable young man. His blossoming relationship with Sanni unfolds with childlike simplicity and growing emotional responsibility, while they are both aware that free soloing El Capitan means Alex will always be one slip from certain death. This fly-on-the-wall documentary eavesdrops on a few private moments to reveal a dilemma: Alex’s dormant emotional self is being stirred, but he must overcome it to face what is a super-human challenge.
Some viewers will notice the unbounded selfishness required to put others through the stress of Alex’s personal pursuit while he is relatively free from the constraints of human emotion. Others will see Alex as a heroic protagonist in his own tortured life journey, or maybe wonder what bravery means if one feels no fear. No doubt there are other viewpoints and readings of this film. Regardless of what message you take, this is a riveting story, brilliantly filmed amongst some of the most stunning mountain scenery you will ever see.
Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
Cast: Alex Honnold, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin, Tommy Caldwell
Ah climbing… exhilarating and frightening at the same time. I can’t wait to watch this one. If Jimmy Chin’s Meru if any indicator then this one should be a winner too. Simplicity is sometimes the hardest to capture well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is an unusual film Jolene because of the way it blends a ‘heroes journey’ with an emotional ‘coming of age’ story. Let me know what you think when you see it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A beautiful review about an intriguing sport as seen through the eyes of disarming exponent, Alex Honnold. All this set to the background of some amazing photography. This was powerful filmmaking.
I was interested in girlfriend Sanni’s family name, McCandless. On hearing this, I was immediately taken back to the story of Chris McCandless in the film “Into the Wild”.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/
Would you know if there’s a family connection? This may explain her attraction to young Alex and his daredevil pursuits.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Anita; I’m not aware of any connection.
LikeLike
Agree with everything you say here, but am I the only one who found the actual climb underwhelming? I mean.. there is talk about where to put cameras and how to stay out of Alex’s way etc. But the actual ‘free solo’ climb lasts for about five minutes! It kinda left a sour taste in my mouth, after all the build up I wanted to see more of the actual climb! I hope the BR disc has a bunch of bonus footage cos that sure seemed like a waste of time to go to so much trouble. Or perhaps I just need to watch it again 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thats a really good point Jordan. I dont see this as a ‘heroic climber’ film at all. The balance between the solo climbing and the emotional web that swirls around Alex makes this an interesting study of stunted masculinity, which is kind of refreshing in light of today’s ‘toxic masculinity’ debates.
LikeLike
You might also enjoy the documentary film about the history of climbing in Yosemite. Valley Uprising https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3784160/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Linda; its now on my back-list.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi RangeWriter. Thank you for your recommendation. I’ve just finished watching and think it really added to the experience of watching the film “Free Solo”. Nice to see the footage of a young
Alex and some of the climbers preceding him.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Great review. I agree that this documentary is very well done, just so beautiful to look at. But I also think that there is something very wrong with this society if such exploits are deemed “heroic”. El Capital was conquered already by a human (it is not like the first climb to Everest) – climbing without a safety harness is merely proving to others that you are better than them. Alex did not save a child from a fire or defended his Motherland. But he did show unconcern for others who care for him and also stimulated so many others to follow this activity which may as well prove fatal for them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good points; I also find the word “heroic” out of place here. Just for fun, I did a dictionary search for “heroic” and got “brave”. I searched for “brave” and got “courageous”. When I searched for “courageous” I got “undeterred by pain or fear”. If I Google that last phrase I’ll probably get “stupid”.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol, a fun linguistic journey, right? Bravery comes down to necessity (more often than not). Regarding Alex, this was not the case at all.
LikeLiked by 1 person