Free Solo (2018)

The critic calls it a Trojan horse documentary that reveals much about human ambition, praising its psychological depth on Honnold's childhood and relationships alongside the thrilling climbing footage.

The review finds the film terrifying, dumbfounding and enthralling, singling out the powerful suspense of the climb and the way it draws viewers into the ordeal of facing extinction.

The stomach-churning documentary rivetingly captures one man's quest to climb El Capitan bare-handed. The filmmaking team delivers a strong, queasily effective look at the preparation and the climb itself.

Both intimate and expansive, the documentary is beautifully calculated to take your breath away with its account of Honnold's spectacular feat. Turan singles out the meticulous planning and personal glimpses of the climber's relationship with his girlfriend as elements that deepen the film beyond pure spectacle.

The critic finds the documentary visually staggering and jaw-dropping, praising its intimate look at Honnold's intense free solo climb of El Capitan and the ethical dilemmas faced by the crew filming it.

The critic highlights the vertiginous, breathtaking climbing cinematography and the exploration of Alex Honnold's motivations, personality and relationships that heighten the sense of risk and tension in this passionate documentary.

The documentary examines how and why Honnold undertook his free solo of El Capitan, portraying it as a fascinating puzzle that brought him existential contentment. Bethea highlights the riveting final twenty minutes of stunning, fly-on-the-wall climbing footage as the film's most compelling element.

The review describes a sweaty-palmed account of Honnold's impossible mission, highlighting the crew's qualms about filming the dangerous climb and the film's documentary-of-its-own-making quality.

The critic finds the documentary mesmerising and thrilling as it captures Honnold's death-defying ascent of El Capitan. It stands out for widening its focus to the emotional stakes for his girlfriend and the ethical dilemmas facing the filming crew.

Thrilling climb footage and process-focused segments reliably provoke awe and terror while highlighting the filmmakers' craft. The film is weaker when it attempts pat psychologizing of Honnold or explains his motivations.

The film is a gripping, vertigo-inducing portrait of Alex Honnold's daring climb of El Capitan without ropes. The critic praises the innovative camerawork that puts viewers right beside the climber but notes the hero's robotic demeanor and questions whether the documentary lingers too long on suspense before the main event.

The film is a white-knuckle experience that effectively builds tension through rehearsal footage and breathtaking photography of the climb. It occasionally feels like a NatGeo brand extension but raises worthwhile questions about the ethics of filming such a dangerous feat.

The critic views the documentary as troubling in its celebration of extreme masculinity and individualism, positioning Honnold's partner as an obstacle and questioning the universality of his drive. Breathtaking cinematography captures the vertigo-inducing climb, but the film ultimately explores fear more than bravery.