MesmeroWatch list, 0 saved

Movie
Poster for First Ascent

First Ascent

2006 · 92 min

A patient, vertiginous look at climbers chasing impossible routes, equal parts awe and quiet obsession.

Tagline
Some mountains are too difficult, too dangerous or too damn crazy to climb! That's why they do it.
Overview
The classic film that inspired the National Geographic Series. Join a global quest with world-class climbers in pursuit of the ultimate goal: the first ascent. Featuring Dean Potter, Timmy O'Neill, Sonnie Trotter, and the amazing Didier Berthod on his quest for the first ascent of the Cobra Crack.

Search YouTube for the trailer

In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.
In your watch list

How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone
    Pacing
    measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
    Attention
    engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
    Themes
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • survival
    • nature
    • identity
    Places
    • wilderness
    • countryside
    Era
    contemporary
    Audience
    adult
    Form
    • documentary
    • true story
    Content intensity
    • Gore none
    • Language mild
    • Violence mild
    • Sex none
    All scales, 0 to 10
    Scales, 0 to 10
    ScaleValue0 to 10
    Action5
    Horror1
    Humour3
    Realism9
    Romance0
    Tension6
    Darkness3
    Complexity4
    Emotional weight5

    More like this

    Titles like First Ascent

    TV series

    First Ascent

    2010

    A breathtaking, earnest documentary that immerses you in high-stakes climbing, blending awe-inspiring scenery with quiet, tense human drama.

    Same creator: Peter Mortimer · About ambition and survival · documentary

    Also
    Same creator: Peter Mortimer
    Via
    • ambition
    • survival
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Seasons
    1
    Details In your watch list
    First AscentHidden from your suggestions.
    TV series

    The Dark Wizard

    2026

    A sobering, vertiginous look at a daredevil's inner struggles, blending awe at extreme feats with a quiet sense of dread.

    Same writer: Nick Rosen · About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Also
    Same writer: Nick Rosen
    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Seasons
    1
    Details In your watch list
    The Dark WizardHidden from your suggestions.
    TV series

    Reel Rock

    2010

    Awe-inspiring real climbing footage and personal stories that make you feel the exposure and the passion.

    Same director: Peter Mortimer · About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Also
    Same director: Peter Mortimer
    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    brisk
    Attention
    engaged
    Seasons
    36
    Details In your watch list
    Reel RockHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Committed

    2007

    A quiet, focused documentary that lets you hang off windswept rock faces with obsessive climbers, tense and awe-struck rather than thrilling.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    80 min
    Details In your watch list
    CommittedHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Slate Monkeys

    2009

    A short, quietly absorbing portrait of three climbers testing themselves against strange rock, mixing grit, craft and personality.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    15 min
    Details In your watch list
    Slate MonkeysHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Bridge Boys

    2022

    A short, tense, and quirky documentary that puts you right on the rock face with two friends attempting an absurd feat.

    Same director: Nick Rosen · About ambition and survival · documentary

    Also
    Same director: Nick Rosen
    Via
    • ambition
    • survival
    • documentary
    Pacing
    brisk
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    30 min
    Details In your watch list
    Bridge BoysHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    The Dawn Wall

    2017

    A gripping, physically intimate climb that turns sheer rock into a story of grit, partnership and quiet obsession.

    Same director: Peter Mortimer · About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Also
    Same director: Peter Mortimer
    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    101 min
    Details In your watch list
    The Dawn WallHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Dosage I

    2002

    A raw, sunlit plunge into elite climbing culture, all chalk, effort and obsession, best watched by people who love the sport.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    brisk
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    81 min
    Details In your watch list
    Dosage IHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Core

    2010

    A crisp, immersive portrait of climbers and their landscapes, equal parts athletic spectacle and quiet character study.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    88 min
    Details In your watch list
    CoreHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Cerro Torre: A Snowball's Chance in Hell

    2013

    A gripping, contemplative documentary that immerses you in the harsh beauty of Patagonia and the quiet obsession of extreme climbing.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    101 min
    Details In your watch list
    Cerro Torre: A Snowball's Chance in HellHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Vertical Frontier

    2002

    Awe-struck, sun-baked tribute to stubborn climbers, pairing jaw-dropping granite footage with grizzled old-timers spinning yarns about risk and obsession.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    90 min
    Details In your watch list
    Vertical FrontierHidden from your suggestions.
    Movie

    Cold Haul

    2003

    A slow, honest trudge through cold and strain, watching determined men endure hardship with grim humour and quiet obsession.

    About obsession and ambition · documentary

    Via
    • obsession
    • ambition
    • documentary
    Pacing
    measured
    Attention
    engaged
    Runtime
    52 min
    Details In your watch list
    Cold HaulHidden from your suggestions.

    Where to watch in the UK

    No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

    Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

    Details

    Genres
    documentary
    Directed by
    Nick Rosen, Peter Mortimer
    Written by
    Nick Rosen, Peter Mortimer
    Starring
    Alex Honnold, Didier Berthod, David Lama, Dean Potter, Derek Hersey, Timmy O'Neill, Cedar Wright, Ivaylo Ninov
    Runtime
    92 min
    Country
    United States of America
    Languages
    English

    TMDBIMDb