Call It What You Want amazingly captured every element of climbing that detracts from the reasons I like this sport. Watching it actually made me sad.The movie is supposedly about George Ullrich, the British teen who nearly climbed the Bachar-Yerian (5.11 R) sans bolts. During Ullrich’s post-high-school year, the narrator begins, he “experienced some debates and dilemmas … This film explores these issues.” Some footage is great, like when Ullrich almost onsights an E7. Most of it, however, just shows one move at a time amid still images. You never get a sense for the climbing, and most routes suffer from camera tilt, making them steeper than they actually are. The Bachar-Yerian was a disappointing climax to someone who wanted to vicariously climb each move of this storied line.
About The Author
Andrew Bisharat
Andrew Bisharat is a writer and climber based in western Colorado. He is the publisher of Evening Sends and the co-host of The RunOut podcast.
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