Don't Believe the Hype

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

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

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film is based on the true story of Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who walked on a wire between the towers of the World Trade Center. We know the climax ending before it starts. The film flashes back to Paris and his childhood as we get glimpses of his training and the people who help him along. I didn't see it in 3D and I was a bit underwhelmed. The tightrope at Notre Dame seemed rather fake, looking like he was walking on a floor.Yes a French guy with some help, walked across the WTC.

This movie really moved me as I can't stand heights and my heart rate went up hugely as I watched the walk as it was so realistic. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who speaks French fluently, was very good. The direction and cinematography were brilliant.

Fear of heights, anyone? I sure do. So watching 'The Walk' was a challenge for me of sorts. I mean, I know its all happening on the screen, but the vibe & the atmosphere is sure to make my heartbeat really fast. And oh boy, it did! And what also 'The Walk' did was deliver some solid entertainment in those 2 hours.'The Walk' Synopsis: In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.Philippe Petit accomplished the near impossible & left the world startled. And his journey is brought on the screen with an excellent film. Legendary Oscar-Winning Director Robert Zemeckis directs 'The Walk' superbly. This biographical drama is consistently engaging & even though THE WALK doesn't happen until 90-minutes into the film, you're still engaged & never impatient to see the big moment. Zemeckis & Christopher Browne's Screenplay, which is based on book To Reach the Clouds by Philippe Petit himself, is arresting & nicely builds the story before the main big moment happens. And I must say, the entire sequence involving THE WALK, will take your breath away. Its something you need to experience. And now coming to the champ of 'The Walk' - Joseph Gordon-Levitt!. JGL is simply terrific as Philippe Petit. Right from a flawless french accent to his anxious body-language, JGL is a marvel. This is a career-best performance from an actor, who deserves so much more! Also in good form are Charlotte Le Bon as Petit's supportive girlfriend, James Badge Dale as one of Petit's team members & Sir Ben Kingsley as Petit's father figure, who teaches him the essence of life & art. On the whole, 'The Walk' is a must watch. Strongly Recommended!

First off, I watched this in 2-D on a TV at home and I imagine this film was a much different of experience in IMAX 3-D. I saw a preview of this film in 3D on the big screen when I watched "Mad Max: Fury Road" and that two or three minutes was the best use of 3-D I'd ever seen. The story follows tight-rope walker Philippe Petit in 1974 planning to conduct an illegal tight walk rope between the newly constructed twin towers in NYC. The first half of the film was fairly mundane backstory material, but once Petit, played by the terrific Joseph Gordon-Levitt, begins to assembly his team and hatches a plan how he'll pull off this stunt, the movie becomes a 1960s Jules Dassin jewel heist film in the best sort of way. To compliment the Dassin vibe, there's a jazzy 1960s style score by Alan Silvestri, a colorful and quirky team, fun trial and error planning sequences, and all sorts of conning and dodging to infiltrate the building, which is amazingly fun. Then there's the eventual tightrope walk between the towers and even watching it on a TV was a dizzying and suspenseful experience. I can only imagine what this must have been like in IMAX 3-D. My main complaints about the film are the dull first act, which seemed like filler, and the film's over use of voice-over, which seemed a lazy way to deliver exposition. Still, director Robert Zemeckis delivers a knockout of a film and Gordon-Levitt continues to show himself as one of the best actors currently working today.