83
Metascore
25 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- Whether you care about climbing or not, you’ll appreciate this tale of passion, discipline and, ultimately, transcendence. One incredible climb for one athlete, one quantum leap for mankind.
- 90L.A. WeeklyAlan ScherstuhlL.A. WeeklyAlan ScherstuhlTo watch Honnold think through each ledge of his climbs can stop the heart; to watch him navigate human emotion might melt it.
- 85Vanity FairRichard LawsonVanity FairRichard LawsonBeyond that interesting character profile, Free Solo also operates as a sort of meta criticism of this kind of documentary filmmaking. We see Chin and his crew, most of them friends or at least affectionate admirers of Honnold’s, grapple with the difficult realities—and the potential trauma—of what they’re doing.
- 85Film Journal InternationalGary M. KramerFilm Journal InternationalGary M. KramerAn awesome and inspiring doc from the team behind Meru.
- 83IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichThere’s no denying that the domestic scenes of Free Solo are more powerful because you appreciate the madness of what Honnold is trying to do, and the climbing scenes are more powerful because you appreciate the full extent of what he’s risking to do it.
- 83The PlaylistJordan RuimyThe PlaylistJordan RuimyThe set-up in Free Solo can sometimes be repetitive, as the filmmakers continuously fawn over their subject’s accomplishments in the nerve-racking build-up to the main event. However, the absorbing lure of the movie, the climactic, terror-provoking Yosemite climb itself, is overwhelming and worth the wait.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterKeith UhlichThe Hollywood ReporterKeith UhlichThis is in many ways a white-knuckle brand extension for Honnold above all else. Still, the film frequently treads into knotty territory.
- 75The A.V. ClubVikram MurthiThe A.V. ClubVikram MurthiAs it stands, however, Free Solo still has plenty to offer in the edge-of-your-seat department.
- 70VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeFor those who love the thrill of high-adrenaline adventure docs, National Geographic’s Free Solo will be a hard experience to top.
- 60CineVueChristopher MachellCineVueChristopher MachellFree Solo goes some way to explaining just why someone would want to do such a thing, but is ultimately more captivated by the vicarious thrill of watching Honnold do his thing.