A documentary film produced by the National Geographic Channel is not so much a documentary film as it is a record of the process of making a film. The photographers are not hidden behind the scenes, but are presented as an important part of the film. Strictly speaking, the finished film is only the last twenty minutes. On the contrary, the first eighty minutes are the real soul of this movie.
The protagonist Alex, a rock climber who became obsessed with rock climbing because of social fear, started his rock climbing career living in an RV after dropping out of UC Berkeley. He talked to several girlfriends, but they all broke up because he chose rock climbing between girlfriends and rock climbing. A genius, paranoid, impersonal, I thought he was someone from the beginning, and didn't realize it until halfway through the film - like Sherlock Holmes in Curly Fu.
Freehand rock climbing, from its English name, can see what kind of extreme sport it is: "Free Solo", without protective gear, without companions. What Alex is going to climb is El Capitan, the largest granite monolith in the world. It stands 916 meters high in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. This is a challenge that has never been completed.
Documenting such an epic climb, if successful, would be a very good documentary, but Free Climbing doesn't stop there. If other documentaries are about nature, the beauty of nature is so beautiful that every frame can be used as wallpaper; if it is about humanities, some photos are put there, and a few experts tell stories to the camera. "Free Rock Climbing" has beautiful nature and experts tell stories to the camera, but it puts more emphasis on "human nature".
These "human natures" are divided into two perspectives: Alex's girlfriend and Alex's friends.
The ambivalence of Alex's girlfriend, Sanni, is easy to understand: If the person you love makes a career out of taking risks, and their lives may be at risk every day, will you be for him or against him? If he loves adventure more than you, will you abandon him or continue to support him? Most people yearn for a stable and happy life, and they also have the conditions to live a stable and happy life, but Alex said: "If everyone sinks into happiness and stability, who will bring progress?" Alex also loves Sanni, but he More obsessed with rock climbing. In fact, Alex is a pure straight man. He loves Sanni, but he doesn't know how to express it. He never says "love"; he doesn't lie. He tried to hide it before climbing, but even people outside the screen like me could see it at a glance; Knowing that Sanni would be unhappy, he still admitted that he would not give up free climbing for Sanni.
Alex's friends faced another contradiction: they would be filming the entire length of Alex's climb, and if they failed, they would be helpless as Alex fell. After watching this movie, you will understand why in "Love Letter" why Akiba didn't dare to climb the mountain after Fujii's death, such a sense of powerlessness is frightening.
After the successful summit, everyone was relieved, and after receiving a call from Sanni, we also heard that Alex finally said "I love you" and gave the audience a dog food in front of the screen. From being withdrawn, paranoid, not good at words to expressing bravely, people will eventually grow up. The more they face death, the more they can appreciate the preciousness of life.
How much can one give for a dream? Do what you love the most, make achievements, and still support yourself, that's the best thing. If there is anything that will make you happier, it is that on the way of chasing your dreams, someone can accompany you, Support you, love you, that's enough.
Finally, I have to say: a successful movie must be inseparable from an excellent soundtrack. If there is no soundtrack, the sweat of my palms, feet and hearts may not be half of what it is now.
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