Later this month, renowned rock climber Alex Honnold will attempt to scale a 101-floor skyscraper in Taipei as part of Netflix’s "Skyscraper Live." It’s set to be a thrilling broadcast that will see the popular extreme climber perform a feat that would have most people shaking in fear. I expect my heart rate will spike just from watching along on my sofa.
Ahead of "Skyscraper Live," Netflix just added the 2018 documentary “Free Solo” to its library, in a clearly intentional bit of content synergy. This Oscar-winning doc served as an introduction to Honnold and the climbing discipline of free soloing for many people, including yours truly. Having recently rewatched the feature, it remains unbearably intense.
For the unaware, free soloing is a type of rock climbing where the participant doesn’t use any form of ropes or protective equipment to assist their climb. Essentially, one mistake, even just a momentary slip of a single finger, and the result is likely fatal. It takes extreme sports to a whole new level, and the “Free Solo” documentary digs into the mindset of one of the world’s best rock climbers as he prepares to slay his personal white whale, climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
It’s a documentary packed with stunning vistas, remarkable feats of human athleticism, and it asks an interesting question: what drives a person to attempt something so unbelievably dangerous? It’s a documentary worthy of its critical acclaim, and with "Skyscraper Live" on the horizon, “Free Solo” should be rapidly scaling your Netflix watchlist.
What is ‘Free Solo’ about?
“Free Solo” centers on Alex Honnold, a rock climber from Sacramento, California, with an obsession with Yosemite’s famous El Capitan, a 3,000-foot vertical rock face. Just climbing this towering granite monolith with a support rope is a feat that few people could even dream of achieving; attempting to climb it unaided is enough to make your head spin.
The feature-length documentary explores Honnold’s career up to that point, what drove him towards the dangerous discipline of free soloing, and his preparation for attempting a climb that will go down in rock climbing history, assuming he successfully reaches the summit.
Directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, “Free Solo” also touches on the logistics of filming Honnold during his climb. This task is complicated by the fact that the filmmakers are aware their presence could serve as a distraction, and when you’re performing a climb where every single micro-move is life-or-death, complete focus is a necessity.
‘Free Solo’ is one of my favorite documentaries, now on Netflix
Before watching “Free Solo,” I was unaware of Alex Honnold, and my knowledge of rock-climbing didn’t extend beyond a few sessions in my local gym, clambering up a wall covered in brightly-colored plastic handholds, used primarily for children’s birthday parties.
After watching, I became obsessed with consuming all the rock climbing content I could find, from YouTuber Magnus Midtbø, who has produced several videos featuring Honnold, to the also excellent documentary “The Dawn Wall,” which focuses on another popular climber, Tommy Caldwell. Trust me, “Free Solo” gives you a real appreciation for the extreme sport.
The driving force behind “Free Solo” is, of course, seeing if Honnold can achieve this goal of climbing El Capitan unassisted, but the insights into his personal life are also fascinating. It can get surprisingly emotional as Honnold’s longtime partner, Sanni McCandless, worries about his safety, while also being aware that trying to stop Honnold would be futile.
“Free Solo” is also remarkably well shot. The filmmakers use everything from drones to camera operators clinging to the rock face to give viewers a true sense of the scale of El Capitan. There are some stunning shots of Yosemite National Park, and these are both jaw-droppingly beautiful, but also raise the fear factor quite considerably. It’s impressive that the doc manages to capture Honnold’s climb without filming being a hindrance.
The documentary was a critical darling from its very first screening. It won Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards, and over on Rotten Tomatoes holds a remarkable 97% score from almost 160 reviews. Viewers agree with the critics, scoring it an equally impressive 93%. Even if you’re not typically a fan of documentaries, it's a must-watch.
With "Skyscraper Live" set for Friday, January 23, now is the perfect time to watch “Free Solo” and get a full understanding of just how impressive free solo climbing truly is. Just be prepared to suffer a little vertigo along the way, because this doc will get your adrenaline flowing and your palms sweating even when watched from the safety of your own home.
Watch "Free Solo" on Netflix now
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