User Reviews
An extraordinary and hugely entertaining spectacle
Out of absolutely
nowhere, Robert Zemeckis' 'The Walk' is one of the best films of this
year! It's a biographical drama with a lot of heart and a lot humour, as
well as spectacular visuals, brilliant performances and a hugely
captivating plot that both thrills and tells a fascinating true story.
It's
hard to believe it, given the sheer audacity of it all, but this whole
story really is true. The 2008 documentary Man On Wire tells the tale in
more factual detail, but The Walk is a far more engrossing and
enjoyable viewing experience.
In the role of the high-wire
performer Philippe Petit, Joseph Gordon-Levitt does an excellent job.
Not only does he pull of the French accent and actual French-language
dialogue superbly, but his portrayal of Petit makes him a character
that, despite being completely mad, is infectiously likable, what with a
wide smile and a wonderful sense of adventure to make his dreams become
a reality.
The story in itself is centred around the famous
high-wire performance across the Twin Towers, but the first two-thirds
of the movie actually look more at Petit's life in France, and his
relationships with the various people that he recruits on his way to
realising this feat.
In classic Robert Zemeckis style, that part
of the story is full of brilliant heart and a positive atmosphere that
makes it impossible not to enjoy, in similar fashion to Zemeckis'
acclaimed Forrest Gump. What's more is that the directing and
cinematography presents France as an almost enchanted land, full of
vibrant colours and quirky personalities, something else that
contributes hugely to the enjoyability factor of the first two-thirds of
the film.
In the latter stages, we see the actual high-wire act
undertaken at the World Trade Centre, and my goodness is it worth the
wait.
Firstly, the story begins to take on the structure and feel
of a heist movie as Petit and his accomplices attempt to dodge the
authorities to set up the wire atop the skyscrapers, and that is hugely
exciting, tense, and again simply fun to watch all the time, adding
another different level to this uniquely entertaining story.
And
then, the actual event is simply astonishing to watch. I felt totally
and utterly entranced by the entire spectacle as Petit makes his steps
out over the terrifying void between the towers. Here, Joseph
Gordon-Levitt's acting is beautifully serene as he shows Petit finally
achieving his dream, whilst the visuals are absolutely stunning.
On
the one hand, there are the vertigo-inducing shots of the deep void
below the wire that make your legs turn to jelly (even in 2D), but also,
Zemeckis presents the atmosphere surrounding Petit on the wire as a
serene, dreamlike place to represent the delight he feels having
accomplished this feat, and it is by far one of the most pleasant and
beautiful cinematic sequences we've seen in a long time.
So,
overall, The Walk is not only a hugely entertaining and upbeat film, but
it also features a brilliant central performance, sublime directing, a
fascinating story, and some extraordinary visuals that all come together
to make a wonderfully enjoyable and captivating movie to watch.