The Dawn Wall

Dawn Wall was enthusiastically-received in its North American Premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival where it received Audience Award in the Documentary Spotlight Competition. Dawn Wall is transfixing as we watch as two climbers, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgensen, attempt the near impossible. They attempt to free style climb the vertical 3000-foot granite rock face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. They test the boundaries of their skills and endurance and even the bounds of what is humanly possible. This isn't really just a sports film. When you learn the hurdles that Tommy Caldwell had to overcome you realize that it is an absolutely remarkable human story. The audience is literally hanging on the side of the mountain with Tommy and Kevin as they scale the mountain. The filmmakers actually scaled the mountain with them in order to film them. The film is beautiful edited and the drama is intense. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, the magic is all in the journey they are taking. Highly recommended.

One of the most moving, immersive documentaries I've ever seen. I think you can appreciate it even if you don't know a clue about climbing. This is a human experience, and every technical part is very well explained.

I will quickly say that the cinematography is more than decent and creates a contemplative vibe with the landscapes of Yosemite. Really stunning place, it already justifies the movie. But the story is even more amazing.

It's the story of Tommy Caldwell and his teammate, ascending the most difficult part of "El capitan", a famous huge cliff in Yosemite. There are some routes already created by climbers along the years, but Tommy did them all, fingers in the nose, if I may say. Actually, he had one finger missing from an accident. And yet he did all of these most difficult climbing routes in the world.

But this is just the beginning. Tommy, still missing a finger, made a route on his own. In the middle of the dry rock who looks like a completely flat wall with no holds anywhere.

The life of Tommy in incredible, his resilience and courage is beyond any difficulty, it actually became an obsession at some point but clearly not the worst one. He made something unique, when he could have been just an alcoholic. His passion/obsession made history.

You will witness one of the biggest moments in sports history. Obviously I recommend.

This is more than a climbing movie. It's a story of friendship and perseverance that will not only inspire you, it'll make you want to take on whatever grandiose challenge(s) you've been putting off. Filmed with elegance, a touch of humor, and utmost dedication, The Dawn Wall is an absolute must see!

I'm writing this after doing a review of "The Valley Uprising". In "The Valley Uprising", Tommy Caldwell showed how great he was.

But in this documentary, it showed how quickly Tommy Caldwell rose through the ranks, as he was definitely born for this sport.

And not only was climbing El Capitan unbelievable, but the reason as to why Tommy did and the stories leading up to it, was extremely intense too.

Top notch camera work. I left feeling inspired and awed by the sheer magnitude of what the 2 climbers accomplished. Living on a vertical wall for weeks is just amazing. Getting into the tents and seeing how they were cooking, sleeping and even going to the bathroom was something I've never seen. My 12 year old loved it, as did my 82 year Dad and my 77 year old Mom, neither of whom have ever climbed. A totally accessible movie for the non climber but great if you have a climbing background as well. Definitely a fun watch for a family!