Free solo is the chilling portrayal on one man’s journey to conquer the rock face at yosemite national Park and he does this free soloing, having no support or harnesses of any sort. Alex Hannold is no ordinary man and the reason I speak of this documentary in all its praise is not only its portrayal of Mr Hannold that keeps one at the edge of their seat but the moral and ethical accounts faced by the filmmakers who wish to film his ascend to the top not knowing whether he might make it alive or having to watch him fall to his death as the camera and the crew watches.
The Documentary feature introduces us to Alex Hannold a renowned soloist, and the film brings about his life from the very first time he started climbing and his ingrained attitude towards excellence. And it is well established over the course of time through the intimate and personal nature of the camera that he shares his sleeping quarters with, in a van parked by his next climbing spot . In doing so we understand that he is no ordinary man and truly feels himself when he is free soloing. A revelation captured with such intimacy and an attitude that is hard to find in and on the world around you. The documentary does an amazing feat bringing us this portray to its very personal front and also includes his off again – on again relationship as they grow in fondness over time sparing the crew and the camera time as well.
The use of motion graphics to include climbing stops made by climbers at every peak in conversation makes you better at rock climbing than you were hours ago. And not to mention the immaculate cinematography offered by the camera crew who happen to be mountain climbers themselves. As Hannold prepares himself for his Yosemite ascend there is a tention between him and the filmmakers for he feels that the slightest changes made by the camera crew as they too share the climb with the veteran climber could pose a threat on his life. As he plans his climb here comes a very noteworthy conversion about the ethical standards of filming this piece. Hannold does not wish to be distracted and niether do the film crew want to have a lay with his fate. But I really appreciate the way this aspect is tackled brilliantly without speaking it but helping us understand it in our own unconscious. In essence, Alex would have had a more higher probability to plunge to his death on acknowledging the presence of the film crew around him, thereby showing that he is unsure of himself which is something soloists don’t rely upon no matter what the condition. If he wishes to make the climb to the top, he must be immensely focused on his climb alone and no other involving factors and this is tackled with such subtlety in which I am in awe of.
Both towards the man at the ledge of the peak and the man with a camera that follow him do it.
sachins^love:_forfilm_<3 