Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Heights and I don’t get along too well. They do their thing: being all tall and shit; and I do mine: being…not. And yet, I loved this film, even though several times I had panic attacks and felt like I needed to leave the room.

I had wanted to see it, but just hadn’t made time for it. When it won the Oscar for Best Documentary, I knew I needed to make the time. The film documents rock climber Alex Honnold’s attempt to “free climb” the face of El Capitan, a 3000+ foot mountain in Yosemite National Park. “Free climbing” means climbing without any safety features—no ropes, no carabiners, no parachute…nothing. This is actually more common than you might think, but no one has ever free-climbed El Cap before. Alex would be the first. It’s very dangerous as the rock face is sheer and slick in places, there are some very difficult places to negotiate a hand or toe hold, and it’s got to be extra-difficult to maneuver along the cliff-edge with the giant balls that Alex has to have to even attempt climbing the thing.

What I really loved about the film is not the actual climb. It only takes up a small portion of the film. What’s more engrossing is the lead-up. It’s learning about Alex, and what drives him. It seems pretty clear early on that he likely has some form of Asperger’s. They do mention that his father probably had it as well. It gives him a detached vibe, and amps up the suspense, as he talks about the difficulty and danger so matter-of-factly. It also makes him seem a little like some kind of esoteric guru.

There’s really very little to find fault with here. The cinematography is majestic, and the editing and pacing are both right on, and at times it feels as suspenseful as any fictional thriller. I was glued to my seat. (Thank God, because that way I don’t have to climb anything!)

Had I watched this before I put my list of the best of 2018 out, I can guarantee that this film would have found a place on it. IMDB says it’s an 8.4, and I agree, giving it an 8.5. (running time 1:40)