I don't know much about sports, but I do know this: if a good sports movie has all the right ingredients, it can stir a rousing excitement in me. It's even more fulfilling when it's a sport and a story that I know nothing about, because now, a good movie has become an enlightening opportunity. Free Solo gave me just that experience, and for that, I loved it.

The unbelievable true story is centered on Alex Honnold, a 33-year-old rock climber who has over 1,000 "free solo" climbs under his belt. For those who are uninitiated (as I was prior to the screening I attended), free soloing refers to a type of climbing in which the climber doesn't rely on ropes, harnesses, or any other such protective gear. Basically, just hands, feet, and rocks.

Now that you know what free soloing is, here's where it gets really crazy: Alex's greatest goal is to free solo El Capitan, a naturally-made rock wall in Yosemite that stands at 3,200 feet of pure granite, straight upward. Here we go.

Before seeing the film, my mind was reeling was curiosity as to the inner machinations of Alex's mind; what could possibly make a person want to have a staring contest with death itself, much less a thousand times? This guy must be crazy! But the more that the story unfolded, the more his motivations became clear, and began to make some sort of sense. Without giving away any spoilers (because this movie works so much better the less you know about it), it's actually rather inspiring.

But inspiring as it is, that doesn't make the climbs any less suspenseful. In order to capture footage of Alex at his most daring heights, he was filmed via drone cameras, an effect that only adds to the dizzying sensation of being up in the air. Viewers with a fear of heights, beware.

Honestly, there's really not much more to add to this movie without delving into spoilers; it's a fascinating documentary about an interesting person attempting to tackle a tremendous sporting feat, layered with equal parts inspiration and suspense. This is a film whose ability to have an effect on its audience simply speaks for itself. Free Solo is currently playing in limited theaters, so if you happen to be close enough to see it, I strongly advise doing so. I give Free Solo four out of four stars.