Simply Perfect

Good movie but grossly overrated

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The Walk was an inspirational story about a man from France who has put on many circus type acts in France for tightrope walking and comes to America in New York City to expand his talent by elaborating a scheme with his friends to hook various cables across the world trade center buildings for his biggest stunt yet. This involves walking while holding a giant stick. This is a true story from 1974. I liked it.

The true story of a man, just one individual, walking across the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Yes, Philippe Petit had the audacity to disobey the law and chase his dream, thus consequently creating an inspirational life story that I'm sure will reinvigorate many. The Walk, obviously depicting the grandeur of the stunt, also dabbles into his backstory and how he found his passion for being an artist. An underlying theme throughout the plot, Petit wasn't just an entertainer, he viewed his displays with a sense of artistry. Exuberantly confident yet fiercely determined, Zemeckis once again has produced a whimsical tale that ensures you experience an array of emotions. Gordon-Levitt's performance of the central character was phenomenal. A perfect French accent to accompany his commitment to the act of high-wire walking, he became truly captivating. The supporting cast were good with Kingsley being the most noticeable. The vital aspect to the film is the visual grandeur which increasingly induces acrophobia as the stunts become more death-defying. Zemeckis puts this at the forefront, particularly during the twin tower walk, where the breath-taking heights feel both nauseating and illustrious. I can only imagine how enthralling the 3D would've been, I may have to give it a watch next time. The story was well paced and mostly focussed on the infiltration of the World Trade Center which felt reminiscent to classic Chaplin films. An endearing tone of clumsiness entered the narrative, especially when the plan stumbles occasionally. The main problem, which surprised me given Zemeckis at the helm, was how heavy-handed the narrative was conveyed. The over reliance of narration and the fact it took a biographical route (as the film is told through a flashback), meant that there were no thrills. Any issues that occurred during the stunt automatically negated any excitement, because we all know how the film ends due to the narrative structure. Ultimately, a disappointing aspect to what is a high flying biopic.

The Walk is based on the true life story of Philippe Petit, a French wire-walker. No need to say that Philippe Petit was a bit crazy in the head. You need to be to actually perform such a crazy stunt. The movie is very pleasant to watch, with some stunning special effects. Being afraid of heights myself I could really feel the tension of the guy standing on that thin cable. The cast was okay even though I think you should take real French actors to play French people. Nothing against Joseph Gordon-Levitt or any other fake frenchies but as a Belgian speaking French it sometimes bugged me that they are clearly not French. Even if they speak correct French you still can hear it's not their native language and that's a bummer. Because I could think of dozens of good French actors that could fufill this role and than it would all have sounded much better. Nevertheless the movie is good, very interesting to watch, and with actually a lot of suspense considiring the incredible stunt.

Before watching this awesome movie, I was thinking why should I waste 2 hours if this movie is all about a guy crossing Twin towers in rope. After watching movie reviews decided i should for it, and this is one of the BEST movie I have seen in recent times. Movie is visually enriching. This movie is a emotional journey and you will get immersed into hero's role. It resembles movies like BigFish and Life of PI. Hats off to director for coming up with a engaging screenplay right from the film beginning.