Alex Honnold is an extraordinary athlete. You don't need to know a thing about rock-climbing, his passion and profession, to realise this. His skills on the rock face, captured by equally stunning camera work, are astounding.
He defies gravity as he clings to giant granite precipices striving for technical perfection, while also possessing the ability to clear his mind of fear as he climbs - a handy talent when the only alternative to success is often death.
This National Geographic documentary, filmed over two years, follows Honnold as he prepares for his most audacious challenge yet; to become the first person to free solo climb Yosemite's 3000ft high El Capitan Wall. And yes, free solo means what you imagine - climbing without ropes or safety gear.
El Capitan is regarded as the greatest challenge in rock climbing. You could google to see if Honnold makes it, but knowing the outcome won't diminish the impact of his story; just watching him train for, let alone attempt, El Capitan is excruciating and absolutely thrilling.
This isn't just a sport story, it's a drama about man verses dramatic landscape, beautifully captured by adventurer, mountaineer, and photographer Jimmy Chin. Chin and his crew put themselves in precarious positions to get their footage and wrestle with the moral question of whether they should be filming the attempt. Do they want to film their friend potentially die? Will being there effect Honnold's concentration and the success of his attempt?
