Critical Score: 90
Audience Score: n/a
Starring: Alex Hannold, Jimmy Chin, Sanni McCandless, Tommy Caldwell
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
This documentary is incredible. The feat that Alex is attempting to conquer is perhaps the most difficult ever attempted in the world of free solo climbing – climbing with no rope or gear except some white chalk. The level of detail that is involved with Alex’s preparation – down to how and where to put each of his fingers on various sections of rock on the 3000 ft tall El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. El Cap is the epicenter of climbing; it’s a stunning visual. Pretty much perpendicular to the ground from bottom to top. This climb without rope has never been tried much less accomplished. Even harder is to accomplish this feat while being filmed with a 4 or 5 man film crew. The pressure doesn’t get much more intense, yet Alex breaks everything down into small puzzles until he thinks he can give it a go. This doc is not one to be missed.