Movies Like Vertical Desert

If you liked Vertical Desert (2007), a documentary and adventure movie directed by Daniel Du Lac, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Free Solo (2018)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary and adventure
Follow Alex Honnold as he attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000 foot high El Capitan wall. With no ropes or safety gear, this would arguably be the greatest feat in rock climbing…
2
The Dawn Wall (2017)
★ 8/10Also documentary and adventure
In an unbelievable story of perseverance, free climber Tommy Caldwell and climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson attempt to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
3
Skyscraper Live (2026)
★ 7.5/10Also adventure and documentary
No ropes. No fear. Free solo legend Alex Honnold risks it all in a high-stakes, live ascent of one of the world's tallest skyscrapers in Taipei, Taiwan.
4
Explorer: The Last Tepui (2022)
★ 7.5/10Also documentary and adventure
This documentary starring climber Alex Honnold and famous biologist Bruce Means document their expedition to the South American sky islands in search of new species and discoveries. Follows elite climber Alex Honnold…
5
The Alpinist (2021)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary and adventure
The life of Canadian mountain climber Marc-André Leclerc as he pushes the boundaries of climbing while on an expedition to Patagonia.
6
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible (2021)
★ 7.3/10Also documentary
In 2019, Nepalese mountain climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja set out to do the unthinkable by climbing the world’s fourteen highest summits in less than seven months. (The previous record was eight years). He called the…
7
Meru (2015)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
Meru is the electrifying story of three elite American climbers—Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk—bent on achieving the impossible.
8
Valley Uprising (2014)
★ 7.7/10Also adventure and documentary
In the shady campgrounds of Yosemite valley, climbers carved out a counterculture lifestyle of dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. And up on the…
9
Atlantis Rising (2017)
★ 6.4/10Also documentary and adventure
James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici go on an adventure to find the lost city of Atlantis by using Greek philosopher Plato as a virtual treasure map.
10
The Mole: Undercover in North Korea (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
A real-life undercover thriller about two ordinary men who embark on an outrageously dangerous ten-year mission to penetrate the world's most secretive and brutal dictatorship: North Korea.
11
African Cats (2011)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary and adventure
African Cats captures the real-life love, humor and determination of the majestic kings of the savanna. The story features Mara, an endearing lion cub who strives to grow up with her mother’s strength, spirit and…
12
180° South (2010)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
13
Everest (1998)
★ 6.7/10Also documentary
An international team of climbers ascends Mt. Everest in the spring of 1996. The film depicts their lengthy preparations for the climb, their trek to the summit, and their successful return to Base Camp. It also shows…
14
Mountain (2017)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
An epic cinematic and musical collaboration between SHERPA filmmaker Jennifer Peedom and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, that explores humankind's fascination with high places.
15
Bambi: A Tale of Life in the Woods (2024)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary and adventure
The life of Bambi, a male roe deer, from his birth through childhood, the loss of his mother, the finding of a mate, the lessons he learns from his father, and the experience he gains about the dangers posed by human…
16
21 Up (1977)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
After another 7 year wait, director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born children from Seven Up! and 7 Plus Seven. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives…
17
The Deepest Breath (2023)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
Bonded by their love of freediving, a record-setting champion and a heroic safety diver try to make history with a remarkable feat, ready to risk it all.
18
Lost on Everest (2020)
★ 7.6/10Also documentary
Reaching 29,029 feet, Mount Everest has long captivated mountaineers of all stripes. But a peak that draws athletes and mountaineers to new heights isn’t without danger — or a dark side. Perhaps the peak’s greatest…
19
The Art of Flight (2011)
★ 7.8/10Also adventure and documentary
Iconic snowboarder Travis Rice and friends redefine what is possible in the mountains. Experience the highs, as new tricks are landed and new zones opened, alongside the lows, where avalanches, accidents, and…
20
The Bus: A French Football Mutiny (2026)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
This documentary revisits the French football team's controversial 2010 World Cup and the bus strike that sparked global headlines and national outrage.