Alex Honnold. What is there to say about this legend of the climbing world, that hasn’t been said already? The guy has been on the tip of the tongues of not just everybody in the outdoor industry, but also those of us who wouldn’t know the difference between a 5c to a 9a.
This international stardom has come from his part in the visually stunning hit Free Solo, where Honnold takes us on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as he becomes the first person to free solo Yosemite’s 3,000ft El Capitan. Directed by Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi, the movie most notably (and deservingly) won an Oscar for Best Documentary, further thrusting Alex into the mainstream.
“Honnold presents an awesome 15 minutes in his usual laid back style”
If you’ve ever watched a climbing scene of a Hollywood blockbuster and thought “what a load of crap” (haven’t we all), then Honnold is on hand to separate the suspect cam placement from the legit knee-bar. Breaking down climbing technique, rock types and location choices. Honnold presents an awesome 15 minutes in his usual laid back style; Mission Impossible, Point Break, Star Trek, Failure to Launch, The Dark Knight Rises, Vertical Limit and Cliffhanger – nobody’s safe.
Given all of his recent exploits, I can’t think of a more suitable person to give the typical Hollywood dramatisation a bit of a shakeup and call out any suspicious acting. Not only does Alex breakdown all of the Hollywood dramatisation in these films, he also gives credit where credit’s due. The climbing scenes of Star Trek actually coming out favourably with Honnold confessing that he’s a lifelong fan.
Give it a watch below…
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