Any superlative to describe Alex Honnold’s free soloing achievement would be an understatement. Honnold’s firm grip over his body, mind and emotions that enabled him to climb a steep 3,000 feet vertical wall of El Capitan in Yosemite, U.S., without a rope or protective gear, has pushed the boundaries of human possibilities. Even without knowing Honnold as a person, his feat makes for a cinematic subject (and an Oscar magnet). There’s innate drama to what, how and why he does it.
But once Free Solo acquaints you with Honnold’s personality, his life and beliefs become as fascinating as his expeditions. He lives in a converted van, stopped eating meat for environmental reasons and donates a third of his income every year to non-profits to help lift poverty in poor countries around the world. Yet, the attitude required to subject one’s life to an almost insurmountable risk (only 1% of those who free solo make it successfully, informs the documentary) requires an attitude of absolute indifference. “Maybe it’s for someone who has nothing to live for,” Honnold introspects. But as much as the free soloist doesn’t care for his own life, he clearly does about the world. The documentary displays these contradictions but doesn’t make a statement. It tells you that he lived in a van and prefers the life of a nomad but is unable to articulate its impact (or that of his class) on his ambition. The problem with the film’s narrative is that, it displays several intriguing facets but is so scattered that the only discussion that emerges strongly is: to do or not to do.
- Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin
- Cast: Alex Honnold, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin, Tommy Caldwell
- Storyline: Alex Honnold’s journey of becoming the first free solo climber of El Capitan
As the documentary explores the reasons to free solo and how it impacts Honnold’s life, it chronicles the almost unanimous opposition (and admiration) of those surrounding him. His girlfriend, mother and the film’s crew, who he has known for years, all disapprove of taking the risk but as the film progresses, the tone abruptly changes into wide-eyed admiration. Told in a typically American narrative (the rise, fall and rise of a hero), the film appears to be so invested in building up to the last 20-minutes that it simply brushes past the grey shades of Honnold’s dream. The film does try to flesh out the man behind the achievement, but the aesthetic choices are so out of sync with his personality. Honnold is an unusual man, to say the least, who taught himself to hug at 23. “Now I am quite good at it,” he informs. As awkward and rebellious as he is, the documentary is equally clean and sanitised, complete with triumphant guitar music. The film isn’t as impudent as Honnold in challenging form, making the film’s templated structure and aesthetic choices stand out like a sore thumb.
That’s not to say that the film doesn’t provide a captivating build-up. It does. But when you condense a person’s life and achievements in a 100-minutes non-fiction format, you are required to make editorial decisions. For instance, we learn about the strain of his goal on his relationship, where he contrasts his life against his girlfriend’s and declares, “No one has achieved anything great by being happy and cosy.” But we aren’t given much to understand his relationship with nature (or the lack of it). We glean his concern for the planet through his dietary choices but I wish the film would have delivered more, besides sweeping shots of rock formations.
The cinematography is sophisticated and up to speed with technology. The sheer awareness of knowing (through the film itself) how the documentary was shot by professional climbers elevates the thrill. Honnold’s bright red T-shirt captured against the dry grey hues of El Capitan brings out the fragility and scale of his pursuit. Beyond aesthetics, the presence of cameras plays an active role in the documentary, often throwing up existential questions. Are the cameras a distraction? How do you reconcile with filming a friend who you know is under added pressure to perform? The documentary throws open these dilemmas and highlights the friendship and comfort between a climber and camera persons, which is imperative in such pursuits. Although like many other aspects, it soon peters out. The once sceptical camera persons become props of drama and reaction shots in the climax. Even during a captivating climb, the American-ness of this documentary begins to gnaw and expose its inadequacies.
Free Solo is playing in select cinemas and will premiere on National Geographic and Hotstar soon.