Free Solo
An awe-inspiring portrait of Alex Honnold's solitary pursuit to climb Yosemite's El Capitan without a rope, balancing transcendent achievement against real mortal danger.
Overview
A breathtaking journey into the world of extreme climbing and human determination.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- tense
- awe-struck
- intimate
- adventure movie night
- inspiring weekend viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's bracing visual craft, nail-biting tension, pacing, and emotionally accessible portrait of Alex Honnold's extraordinary climbing challenge.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film builds around Alex Honnold's preparation for and attempt to climb El Capitan without ropes.
Wide and elevated images render Honnold tiny against the immense face of Yosemite's El Capitan.
Honnold's solitary climbing practice is set against his relationship with Sanni McCandless and bonds with fellow climbers.
Rope-free climbing on El Capitan creates sustained tension because the danger is genuine rather than fictionalized.
Films like Free Solo, and why
The Alpinist
shared documentary focus on extreme solo climbing, physical danger, and intimate athlete portrait
Meru
shared observational sports-documentary intensity, awe-inspiring physical achievement, and wilderness spectacle
Touching the Void
shared immersive nonfiction treatment of perilous adventure, personal obsession, and dramatic natural environments
Movie Details
- Directors
- Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
- Release Date
- 2018-09-28
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (1582)
Cast
- Alex Honnold
- Tommy Caldwell
- Jimmy Chin
- Sanni McCandless
- Mikey Schaefer
- Cheyne Lempe
- Mark Synnott
- Peter Croft
- Dierdre Wolownick
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Free Solo about?
- An awe-inspiring portrait of Alex Honnold's solitary pursuit to climb Yosemite's El Capitan without a rope, balancing transcendent achievement against real mortal danger.
- What is Free Solo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Free Solo as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Free Solo violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Free Solo.
- What did critics think of Free Solo?
- Critics broadly praised the film's bracing visual craft, nail-biting tension, pacing, and emotionally accessible portrait of Alex Honnold's extraordinary climbing challenge.
- Which films are like Free Solo?
- Films with a similar feel include The Alpinist, Meru, and Touching the Void.
- How long is Free Solo?
- Free Solo runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Free Solo?
- In United States, Free Solo streams on Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, YouTube TV.
