Free Solo (2018)
96%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
30 wins & 55 nominations total
Free Solo depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason – and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal.
If you’re looking for a movie that will make your palms sweat and your heart race, Free Solo is the one for you. This flick showcases some seriously insane athletic stunts that will leave you wondering how the heck anyone could even attempt them. But what’s really cool about this movie is that it’s not just about the physical feats – it’s also about the emotional drive behind them. Even if you’re not a rock climber yourself, you’ll be able to relate to the passion and determination that drives these athletes to push themselves to the limit. So if you’re ready for a wild ride, grab some popcorn and settle in for Free Solo. Just don’t forget to breathe.
Production Company(ies)
Little Monster Films, Itinerant Films, Parkes MacDonald Image Nation
Distributor
National Geographic Documentary Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Morocco
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 40m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2019
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Free Solo, documentary, English, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, produced by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes, Shannon Dill, starring Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Sanni McCandless, Jimmy Chin, Mikey Schaefer, Cheyne Lempe, reviewed by Andrea Gronvall, Melanie McFarland, John Doyle, Rafer Guzman, Perri Nemiroff, Peter Rainer, Josh Parham, Nicholas Oon, Robin Holabird, Yasmin Omar, Jeffrey Zhang, Dennis Harvey, PG-13, box office gross $17.5M, National Geographic Documentary Films, climbing, Yosemite National Park, El Capitan, mountaineering, risk-taking, passion, achievement, athlete, determination, relationship, death, documentary crew, cameramen, rock climbing, adventure, thrill-seeking, human spirit, tension, sound editing, cinematography, sound directing, U.S parks, wilderness, head-spinning views, safety, stunning visuals, Chicago Reader, Salon.com, Globe and Mail, Newsday, Perri Nemiroff (YouTube), Christian Science Monitor, Next Best Picture, Maximum Hype (YouTube), Robin Holabird, Town & Country (UK), Strange Harbors
Worldwide gross: $29,390,279
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $34,585,709
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,501
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,771,615
US/Canada gross: $17,541,090
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,641,894
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,401
US/Canada opening weekend: $294,288
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $346,310
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,493
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Tommy Caldwell – Self
Sanni McCandless – Self
Jimmy Chin – Self
Mikey Schaefer – Self
Cheyne Lempe – Self
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi – Director, Producer
Jimmy Chin – Director, Producer
Evan Hayes – Producer
Shannon Dill – Producer
Director(s)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Evan Hayes, Shannon Dill
Film Festivals
Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
30 wins & 55 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Documentary Feature Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (158) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (154) | Rotten (4)
This awe-inspiring National Geographic documentary is as much a celebration of U.S. parks and wilderness as it is a record of one of the most audacious feats in the history of mountaineering.
March 3, 2020
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The visuals are stunning, offering head-spinning views with the comfort of total safety.
March 5, 2019
Melanie McFarland
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
Free Solo…is a jaw-dropper, both in what is documented and its visual impact.
March 4, 2019
John Doyle
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
A visually dizzying but also thought-provoking film about one man’s pinnacle of achievement.
February 26, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Rafer Guzman
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
I just got so swept up in it all. I love hearing what others are so passionate about. Completely taken by Alex’s story.
February 8, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Perri Nemiroff
Perri Nemiroff (YouTube)
TOP CRITIC
Impressive… But the question for me remains: Why on earth would anybody do this?
February 8, 2019 | Rating: B+
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
TOP CRITIC
Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi provide an incredible amount of tension in every step that is taken and every crevasse that is reached for.
May 29, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Josh Parham
Next Best Picture
This film is a cinematographic achievement, but also an achievement in sound editing and directing, and an achievement of the human spirit.
September 4, 2021 | Rating: 7.5/10
Nicholas Oon
Maximum Hype (YouTube)
A candid portrait of a phenomenal athlete, the project highlights Yosemite Valley’s stunning beauty…
August 10, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
Equal parts anxiety-inducing and affecting, Free Solo is a fascinating examination of an intrepid athlete’s determination to achieve his lifelong ambition.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Yasmin Omar
Town & Country (UK)
Nail-biting and terrifying, [Alex] Honnold’s ascent to the top of El Capitan is some of the most propulsive and suspenseful sports footage ever documented.
January 29, 2021 | Rating: A-
Jeffrey Zhang
Strange Harbors
…you begin to wonder when we’ll get to the actual climb. But when we finally do, those 15 minutes or so of footage are as phenomenal as anything you’ll see this year…
October 21, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills…
Plot
Alex Honnold attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb El Capitan.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Free Solo features Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber known for his free solo ascents of big walls.
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