Movie review
September 28, 2018 · 100 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Free Solo.
Woke representation / casting
The film features real individuals in their actual roles as climbers and partners. No audience-visible diversity emphasis or identity signaling in casting.
Woke political dialogue
No political, activist, or social-justice language appears. All dialogue stays on training, fear, personal goals, and the climb itself.
Identity-driven story themes
The core story follows one person’s extreme personal challenge, psychological makeup, and relationships with no identity politics, group representation, or social-justice framing.
Western institutional / cultural critique
No modern activist critique of institutions, patriarchy, capitalism, traditional norms, or Western culture exists. The film presents personal freedom and daring positively.
Review
Free Solo is a 2018 documentary that follows rock climber Alex Honnold as he trains for and completes the first free solo ascent of El Capitan’s 3,000-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park without ropes or safety gear. The film shows his detailed preparation, mental focus on managing fear, personal relationships, and the high-stakes climb itself through expert cinematography. It centers on individual determination, risk, and human limits in extreme adventure sports.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. This is a documentary about real events and living people with no fictional canon or character alterations.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No notable anti-woke or right-leaning complaints accuse the film of pushing woke, DEI, or identity politics. Mainstream reception stayed positive and focused on the athletic achievement.
Creator track record context
Key creatives have histories in adventure filmmaking, environmental conservation stories, and mild humanitarian documentaries with some liberal philanthropic ties, but no recurring pattern of identity-driven, DEI, queer, or modern activist work.
Production
