Progression
A visually charged climbing documentary follows elite athletes through fear, failure, and breakthrough attempts that push the sport forward.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- propulsive
- inspiring
- adventurous
- adventure movie night
- outdoor sports viewing
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film centers on breakthroughs across bouldering, big-wall climbing, and competition climbing.
Its premise explicitly foregrounds doubt, failure, determination, and perseverance among climbers.
Rock faces, boulders, and big walls provide the documentary’s central visual subject and source of athletic danger.
Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold, Paul Robinson, Daniel Woods, Chris Sharma, and Adam Ondra appear as themselves.
Films like Progression, and why
The Dawn Wall
shared focus on elite climbing, athletic progression, risk, and perseverance
Free Solo
shared rock-climbing documentary format, extraordinary ascents, and adventure-driven human stories
Valley Uprising
shared emphasis on climbing culture, technical achievement, and determined athletes confronting extreme physical challenges
Movie Details
- Director
- Josh Lowell
- Release Date
- 2009-01-01
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (5)
Cast
- Tommy Caldwell
- Alex Honnold
- Paul Robinson
- Daniel Woods
- Chris Sharma
- Adam Ondra
- Johanna Ernst
- Kevin Jorgeson
- Matt Segal
- Patxi Usobiaga
Common questions
- What is Progression about?
- A visually charged climbing documentary follows elite athletes through fear, failure, and breakthrough attempts that push the sport forward.
- What is Progression like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Progression as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Progression violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Progression.
- Which films are like Progression?
- Films with a similar feel include The Dawn Wall, Free Solo, and Valley Uprising.
- How long is Progression?
- Progression runs 85 minutes.
