LIVE BEYOND FEAR.
In September 2019, the term ”free solo” was added to Merriam-Webster’s English dictionary. The reason was this film and its ability to take what used to be slang among rock climbers into the mainstream. Free soloing means you’re climbing alone without ropes or protection. Make one mistake and you’ll die. There’s no great mystery why the sport’s most daring practitioners have become stars; there’s something fascinating about people who are willing to risk everything for the ultimate rush.
This movie makes us watch its star in awe, but we’re also frequently reminded of the insane nature of his mission.
Made a name for himself in 2008
The man in question is Alex Honnold, a 32-year-old rock climber who made a name for himself in 2008 when he free solo-climbed a 2,000-feet part of Half Dome in Yosemite in less than three hours; four years later he did it in 82 minutes. Alex became an instant celebrity among climbers, but also the general public thanks to a TV documentary and an interview on 60 Minutes. Half Dome isn’t the only big wall in Yosemite though. There’s also El Capitan, offering an even taller wall, 2,900 feet, if you choose the Freerider route. When we meet Alex in this movie, that’s what he’s seriously considering.
El Cap is a logical next step
At that time in 2017, no one had free solo-climbed El Cap. It’s easy to understand the attraction; after all, Alex had already made some astounding achievements as a climber, making El Cap a logical next step. He already knew the rock well, having climbed it many times, but always with protection. As we get to know Alex, we can see how he’s more or less part of Yosemite Valley, having grown up in California and spent years living in a van, driving around to climb in different places. He seems to enjoy that lifestyle and he also appears in schools to talk about climbing and the charity projects that he’s endorsed.
Later in the film, there’s a girlfriend, Sanni McCandless, who met him at a book signing. At first, it doesn’t really change Alex’s lifestyle; we learn that he’ll always value rock climbing more than anything. But Sanni is willing to be part of his life and slowly we notice how ”Spock” (as he’s referred to at one point in the film) seems to have his slightly human moments. There’s an amusing sequence where he and Sanni decide to buy a house and go look for fridges; let’s just say building and taking care of a home isn’t one of Alex’s strong points and Sanni is rightfully pissed. The portrait of Alex is complex. He has selfish traits but also honest charisma; we learn a lot about his childhood and how he functions as a human being… and it’s hard not to root for him. He’s frustrating yet lovable.
The film addresses the unavoidable fact that Alex is going to do something very dangerous and that ultimately Sanni doesn’t matter; it’s not an easy relationship she has chosen, but she remains loyal. There are many times throughout the film when we in the audience question her and Alex’s good sense.
Watching Alex make his way up the wall is terrifying and thrilling.
After a few setbacks, the day comes in 2017 when Alex decides to finally do it. The free-solo ascent of El Capitan is performed in less than three hours, a magnificent feat captured by filmmaker and fellow climber Jimmy Chin, together with his wife Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and their crew. Watching Alex make his way up the wall, defying God, if you want to be dramatic about it, is terrifying and thrilling, amplified by Marco Beltrami’s score, and cinematography and visual design that not only has impressive views but also takes us close to Alex and illustrates the details of the climb with clever graphics. In the end, the sense of triumph is overwhelming.
Free Solo 2018-U.S. 100 min. Color. Directed by Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Cinematography: Jimmy Chin, Clair Popkin, Mikey Schaefer. Music: Marco Beltrami.
Trivia: Co-produced by the two directors.
Oscar: Best Documentary Feature. BAFTA: Best Documentary.
Last word: “Because on our doc budget we were shooting with one mic and one camera, [sound editor Deborah Wallach] would fix what we messed up in production. We used a lot of sound design and foley and music. It was another means of translating to people who don’t climb, that experience of being up there. […] Sound is critical. It’s everything. That’s why we had a ‘climbing audio guy.’ No one has a climbing audio guy, but we did.” (Vasarhelyi, Deadline)