The Alpinist 2021
Directed by Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen · 93 mins · 1,532 views
Synopsis
Trailers
Reviews (85)
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J
I love these movies so fucking much. Reel Rock, Free Solo, Dawn Wall, Meru, etc. — this is my MCU lol. It’s difficult to even really compare them because they all build upon each other, adding to the story of rock climbing so far. I like the way that familiar characters pop up in each other’s stories to build out the world and lend credibility to each other. I think three of them even use the exact same clip of Dean Potter base jumping off the edge of a cliff lol I don’t know anything about this world outside of the several movies I’ve seen, but I think this one works really well as a companion piece to Free Solo…
147 5 -
I
I often feel apathetic with being alive in this current/modern world. I hope to also find the physical and philosophical freedom Marc-André Leclerc found. Rest In Peace.
150 2 -
J
Sometimes a human being comes along whose love of life completely surpasses their fear of death. Death cannot dull their light nor spoil their ephemeral time here in this wide beautiful brutal world. The filmmaking here, however, lacks the poetry of its subject matter and the humility of its protagonist. Standard Netflix doc stuff in form and function.
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O
whenever a doc starts and the filmmaker establishes themselves as a main character, i just hate that! but i guess you don’t have much of an option when your subject literally doesn’t want anything to do with you
373 3 -
N
there are people out there climbing mountains with no rope while I’ve tripped on flat ground more than once
163 2 -
K
marc-andré leclerc is a fascinating documentary subject and an incredibly inspiring person. this documentary doesn’t deserve him. mixed feelings because i do think it does a decent job at showing leclerc in an authentic light that really gets across how inspiring of a person he is. but to give the film credit for that seems like a stretch, hard to shoot a smile like that and see him in a bad light. i think leclerc and his accomplishments are nothing short of astounding, and it’s the only reason this film is even a little bit likable. i think the best way to see how awful the filmmakers handle this story is to see just how well elizabeth chai vasarhelyi and…
838 1 -
N
didn’t have “cry at a climbing documentary” on today’s bingo card but here we are
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M
When I read about K2 I thought “wow, that’s insane, why do people do this?”. Then I watched Free Solo and thought “OK, there might actually be something crazier than trying to summit K2”. Now, after watching The Alpinist I’m just thinking that the limit does not exist. And that’s kind of amazing. Marc-André Leclerc is a very special soul. Also, climbing documentaries always manage to make me want to rethink my life choices. Basically, this is a good film.
102 5 -
S
I love climbing documentaries because the boys are cute and they always make me cry
150 3 -
K
A bit conflicted on this because as a documentary, I didn’t like this as much as Free Solo. The fact that Marc-Andre Leclerc wasn’t particularly interested in making a documentary and didn’t necessarily coordinate or cooperate with the filmmakers makes it a bit tough to craft a compelling documentary all the way through. There isn’t a ton of footage of Leclerc actually climbing. Still, I found Leclerc much more interesting and likable as both a person and as a film subject than I did Alex Honnold (the main focal point of Free Solo—but also interviewed in this film). Honnold I found to be a bit arrogant and rather attention-seeking. Leclerc and his story reminded me of that of Christopher McCandless from Into The Wild — Interested purely in…
279 8 -
H
extremely jealous of any person that can live their life to the fullest without needing any validation from the outside world. super inspiring
425 2 -
E
Awesome visuals and a really cool dude. Wasn’t at all prepared for the ending
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AAbdUlaziz 8 月 22, 2026
Wild and forever Free .
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C
Offline goat
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C
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Wwill 8 月 21, 2026
The documentary version of a podcast host interrupting and talking over and self-inserting into their conversation with the actual subject of the matter. No wonder Marc-André literally took a hike part way into the making of it.
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A
awesome subject, dogshit movie
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S
I don’t have the words (I don’t have that many) to explain how watching this gave me a certain type of comfort I didn’t know I needed. He lives rent free in my head and heart now ◡̈
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A
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F
Wow, life is so beautiful.
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D
I enjoyed this
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J
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ZZ 8 月 20, 2026
Truly devastating He got to die doing what he loves the most, I like to think that he is resting peacefully because of that
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BBella 8 月 19, 2026
Over the edge of the wild…I’m sad. Was expecting the same feel as Free solo but no i’m just depressed now. I loved how he described what climbing meant to him…wish I could’ve actually seen him climb more in this lmao
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Jjjjourney 8 月 19, 2026
Why is it that the most pure of heart & spiritually sound climbers must die
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C
Marc is a master of mountains (and surprisingly hula hoops!)
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A
This rating is not based on the movie, but on the man
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J
I’m sad
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D
Just a fascinating insight to a life or brain I’ll never be involved with. Nor understand. He was kind of hard to like tho. Utterly fascinating tho. 78/100
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G
Not even Free Solo had me shitting myself but this documentary did. I liked that it just played raw footage of him soloing ice walls because trust me that was intense and nerve-wracking in and of itself. I’m not even sure how they filmed some of this stuff where he didn’t want the big camera crew. Even if the documentary didn’t really touch on any novel themes in this one LeClerc is a quite interesting subject, more outgoing and laid…
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S
so good. idk how i’ve never heard of him. he’s like better than alex honnold. rip
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G
Fantastisk klatrer, middelmådig dokumentar.
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T
najveci uzor i najbolja poruka. na kraju filma sam plakao slusajuci rijeci njegove mame. moja sucut svakome tko ga je pozano
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D
Captivating and dizzying doc with a sting in the tail.
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K
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G
i turned this on to watch a person do insane stuff like climbing without ropes. ended it sobbing in my bed
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M
I should start climbing
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A
Liked the documentary, the insights and everything just wanted to see more Ascents but as he himself said its not really a solo if he is not alone, sad and tragic death.
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L
Absolutely insane. One of my favorite people to ever live, to need such little validation from anyone else is truly inspiring. Have watched multiple times, no less breathtaking and tragic each time.
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J
This made me rethink some things
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Eemkop 8 月 16, 2026
Started on plane did not yet finish!
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M
B2B’d with the dark wizard. Oh man. Rip leclerc. This doesn’t do you full justice 🐐
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L
Love that there is a guy who thought, «Mhhh… free soloing could use another degree of difficulty. How about we do it on totally unpredictable, ever-changing terrain like ice and snow????»
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E
I love climbing films. On the one hand, I find the pursuit of free-soloing to be inherently selfish. I’m also endlessly envious of the climber’s experience. We all know we’re going to die one day, albeit in a faraway sense. Free soloing brings death into full detail. Life must be so vivid, so real. Marc loved life (more than he feared death) and pursued his dreams. If we could, wouldn’t we all do the same?
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S
Writing a review about this documentary conflicts me. On one hand the documentarians absolutely dropped the ball. Insensitive, unempathetic and unable to realise who they are working with. For a crew that is experienced working with the climbing type these cunts pissed me off, especially the lead documentarian and narrator. “The climb will be done solo” Leclerc says “Umm okay… yeah” replies the narrator ; suprised that a solo alpinist wants to climb solo. However the cinematography and editing was…
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C
This had been on my watch list for a while. Marc was easily one of the best to ever do it and the footage shows some of the most harrowing climbing I could imagine. Solid documentary but short of impactful.
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B
A bit more gritty than The Dawn Wall, but really loved learning about Marc and his accomplishments. Some absolutely hair raising scenes here, especially when he was climbing cliffs with his ice picks holding onto stone. He seemed like a very beautiful person, very sad ending.
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C
Genuinely a life changing watch
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V
Viveu pouco, mas viveu como nunca
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V
Veldig veldig bra. For en fyr
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K
When Alex Honnold says “that’s crazy, I can’t believe he is soloing that.” You know you are dealing with a madman.
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KKate Hickerson 8 月 14, 2026
Miss you Marc !
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D
Peak
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C
one of the chillest guys ever
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G
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R
another tragic story but really inspiring
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U
Thought, I was going to watch a doc similar to Free Solo. But, it was much different from that. Such an unreal experience watching the doc. The freedom that you feel when you are climbing these mountains and knowing such risks and still doing it. Marc Andre was truly one of a kind. When I was younger I would have though what a foolish act climbing all these mountains and taking these risks for what just to brag about it or for the view, but life is truly about what you feel and make of it.
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M
big fan of climbing documentaries and the cute boys in them
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F
Rest In Peace Legend.
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M
Another solid one. This is just exposure therapy for me at this point. Palms sweat every time! This guy climbs frozen waterfalls with axes, which puts a new spin on it: what in holy hell do you do if you drop one?
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K
I love watching rock climbing documentaries because I have too little arm strength and too much anxiety to ever do it myself
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S
Better than Free solo without a doubt.
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S
Wow. Interesting look into a very unique person
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A
Given the blessing of extreme free will, the passion to climb increasingly difficult mountains seems to be a curse, but so does piloting planes.
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T
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Z
It wouldn’t be a solo if he weren’t all by himself. What adventures do we seek out for ourselves and only ourselves nowadays? There’s this deep desire for adventure within Marc-Andre that he listened to and followed. I have an inkling that we all have some essence of this, wrapped up by all sorts of (limiting) beliefs, conditionings, and what not.
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Jjmint 8 月 11, 2026
As I wrap this trio of climbing docs, gotta say, Marc-André is my spirit animal of climbers.
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A
Llegué aquí porque son los mismos directores que The Dark Wizard, pero justo porque venía de ver a Dean, este me dejó un poco con ganas de más.
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C
Easily my least favorite of the three Peter Mortimer & Nick Rosen climbing films I’ve seen. I have a personal gripe with filmmakers inserting themselves into the narrative when they cannot get enough actual footage or b-roll to create a film. It creates both a weaker narrative & comes across as egotistical. However, it’s on Marc-Andre Leclerc as well for agreeing to do a documentary then ghosting them. Leclerc was an incredibly fascinating subject for a sports doc — when he was…
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C
There are old mountaineers, and there are bold mountaineers, but there are not old bold mountaineers.
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A
Great documentary
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J
handsome gripping intellectually thoughtful technically sound emotionally stirring vibes solid
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R
He was just insaine in a good way
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Y
Güzel
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G
Diary of a socially awkward climber with what looks to be no fear response. Wish there were more nail biting, sweaty palms moments and less people explaining they cant find him. Overall a decent watch.
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A
Interesting piece on Alpinism and how climbing can go in different directions. In a beautifully ironic way Marc was always solo and when he found his partner did his journey end.
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C
The Alpinist is one of the most breathtaking and emotionally powerful documentaries I’ve ever watched. It’s not just a film about climbing mountains, it’s about freedom, solitude, fear, and a person who seems to exist completely on his own terms. Marc-André Leclerc was unlike most professional climbers. He wasn’t chasing fame, sponsors, records, or recognition. He simply wanted to climb, often alone, in places where one mistake could mean death. That makes his story both fascinating and deeply unsettling. What…
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A
L’homme le plus fou et inspirant du 21ème siècle Marc André Leclerc le GOAT
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Q
(DOCUMENTARY) Is this the dumbest sport in the world? Many might thinks so, however I am not one of those people. If you understand that what you are doing will likely lead to your death, and prepare accordingly, then why should anyone stop you? This is some peoples dream, and the feeling that you get from doing this is impossible to replicate without putting in the work. It is something that the vast majority of all humans will never comprehend.…
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T
the greatest to ever do it fuck
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J
Love these solo climbers, they are absolutely insane. I just knew this was gonna end like this. God bless.
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H
That’s what makes him so lovable 😍…
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H
As has been pointed out in other reviews, I just doubt that there was a documentary to make here (mostly due to the subject at hand). Some incredible shots of climbing, though.
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CCarl Patterson 12 月 3, 2024
It was pretty good. But I didn’t realise that he died in an avalanche.
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G
Mesmerizing.
- Synopsis
- Marc-André Leclerc, an exceptional climber, has made solo his religion and ice his homeland. When filmmaker Peter Mortimer begins his film, he places his camera at the base of a British Columbia cliff and waits patiently for the star climber to come down to answer his questions. Marc André, a little uncomfortable, prefers to return to the depths of the forest where he lives in a tent with his girlfriend Brette Harrington. In the heart of winter, Peter films vertiginous solos on fragile ice. He tries to make appointments with the climber who is never there and does not seem really concerned by this camera pointed at him "For me, it would not be a solo if there was someone else" . Marc-André is thus, the "pure light" of the mountaineers of his time, which marvel Barry Blanchard, Alex Honnold or Reinhold Messner, interviewed in the film. An event film for an extraordinary character.
- Director
- Peter Mortimer, Nick Rosen
- Studio
- Roadside Attractions, Universal Pictures, Dogwoof, Red Bull Media House
- Country
- UK, USA
- Language
- English
- Year
- 2021
- Runtime
- 93 mins
- Algeria17 Feb 2022
- USA07 Sep 2021
- Italy07 Feb 2021
- USA10 Sep 2021
- UK24 Sep 2021
- Netherlands13 Jan 2022
- Denmark14 Jan 2022
- Austria17 Feb 2022
- Norway07 Feb 2021
- Poland07 Sep 2021
- Ireland24 Sep 2021
- Russia07 Feb 2022
- Japan08 Jul 2022
- UK18 Jan 2025
- Canada07 Feb 2021
- UK24 Jan 2022
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