Had the good fortune to see Free Solo on IMAX last night, I believe it was part of a second theatrical run following its academy nomination. If you aren’t able to make it out to see it, I highly recommend watching the NYT short doc about the making of the film as well as Alex Honnold’s TED Talk. The former will give you a sense of the technical achievement of the film crew to actually pull off this film (as well as the extreme emotional and moral questions that such a film crew faces while observing a free solo climb). And the TED Talk gives you a brief window into Alex’s mindset, his philosophy towards the climb as well as how he literally did it - the mental preparation needed.
The documentary will cover all these topics, though it’s light on the technical climbing and heavier on the emotional stakes. But more importantly, the film gives you a true and transparent window into Honnold’s psychology and drive. To me, the only thing more impressive than Honnold’s physical achievement is the way his mind has evolved towards this singular task. The flip-side of that evolution is the detachment he has from humanity. That may sound harsh, but it’s not like he’s a sociopath. The film shows his detachment from those people he loves in life, detachment from the effects his choices have on them. But also, some serious level of detachment from his own humanity: vulnerability, pride, freedom of choice. The film doesn’t dwell on how Honnold is a sort of trapped man, but it gazes it at directly from time to time - in between gasp-inducing moments. It celebrates him and questions at the same time. For all those reasons, and the sheer breathtaking and terrifying visual roller coaster ride, I highly recommend.
EDIT: wanted to add this link to an article that explores Honnold’s philosophy further. I don’t think the author’s comparison to our country’s culture is particularly fruitful, but otherwise it’s an interesting perspective that applauds Honnold’s pursuit of perfection and truth and optimistically spins his outlook on appreciating life.
