The title refers to the practice of climbing a rock face without ropes or other assistance. The focal figure is Alex Honnold, 33, who does it as a career, not a hobby. Oh, he gets into safer forms of climbing now and then, especially at super-hard locations like El Capitan. But he keeps hoping to be the first to free-solo up "El Cap" (which I heard as "Al Capp") someday. Naturally, this feature builds up to that day.
From the opening shot, I knew I would have to steel myself. I trusted that we wouldn't see Alex or anyone else die on camera, but unlike my sister, I never dared to try even indoor wall climbing. (Did a canyon jump once, but that was different.) The only other documentary I've seen that's anything like this is Man on Wire, which has a rather dissimilar style.
As you might expect, soloing yields a high mortality rate. Alex and his companions have personally known dozens who fell to their deaths. He himself gets two hospitalizations before his big challenge. He admits that even when he does it right, some parts are agonizing, and not just with regard to endurance. Nobody asks him whether he plans to retire someday or just keep at it till he meets the same fate.
Much of the focus is on how Alex lives when he's not climbing. I'm not sure who pays him, but he has set up a foundation. Despite claiming a dentist-type income, he lives largely as if impoverished, in a van without proper amenities, because his passion demands constant travel. Only after spending a good while with his girlfriend, Sanni, does he buy a house.
The relationship between Alex and Sanni doesn't appear much more secure than his sport. She has only a passing interest in climbing, he gets injured in part because of her, and he doesn't bring much normality to the table. Considering how he always gave higher priority to climbing than to dating, I was more worried that they would break up than that he would break up literally. But what they have is relatively healthy.
Alex stands out even among comrades for his odd way with emotions. They nickname him "Spock," tho he's not that stolid. He does feel fear; it's just overshadowed by vigor. Someone suggests that he has Asperger's (which would explain the few things we do have in common). Evidently, it stems from an upbringing by a somber father and a hypercritical mother, both of whom were happier after divorce. They never hugged Alex, and he didn't learn how until age 23. Sanni wishes he'd express love in words in addition to actions, but she recognizes that he has trouble identifying his feelings.
I imagine that other daredevils have their own peculiar backgrounds. Regardless, it's good to know what drives one given person to live, well, on the edge on a regular basis. For my part, I enjoyed the vicarious experience, from a cushy theater chair.
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