The Walk Review

2015 in film

Sep 30

Written By Rendy Jones

Preview

PG: Thematic Elements Involving Perilous Situations, and For Some Nudity, Language, Brief Drug References and Smoking

Sony, Tristar Pictures, LStar Capital, ImageMovers

2 hrs and 03 Minutes

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, with Ben Schwartz, and Steve Valentine

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors, shitty sentence structure, and typos galore. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws never existed.

BACKSTORY: Tuesday September 29th at 2:30 PM I go to the line of the IMAX 3D screening of The Walk which started at 7:30 PM. There was 7 people on line there so I asked these two kind folks to hold my spot as I go home to get some rest. I return back to the theater at 6 PM only to see the line extended to the end of the block and the people I asked to hold my spot gone. So I was freaking the fuck out thinking "bullshit I'm not going to the back of the line where there's like 200 people. What do I do?" So as a Rendy instinct, I go to the ticket-holder woman and told her what happened. As she had sympathy in her heart, she told me to wait inside the theater. Waiting for five minutes, I start to freak out more seeing a shit ton of more people go upstairs. Eventually the ticket-holder's kid came in and gave me my ticket for the film.

STORYLINE: Twelve people have walked on the moon, but only one man - Philippe Petit has ever, or will ever, walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. Guided by his real-life mentor, Papa Rudy, and aided by an unlikely band of international recruits, Petit and his gang overcome long odds, betrayals, dissension and countless close calls to conceive and execute their mad plan.

IMAX 3D: This film was birthed for 3D. The Walk was made to reinvent IMAX 3D. It's as if Robert Zemekis saw Gravity and said "I can out 3D the fuck out of this." Though it doesn't reach the perfection of Gravity, the 3D used in this film is top notch. If you remember how in the beginning of Dreamworks Animation's Puss in Boots where he's narrating with the camera so close up on him, you see the detailing on his face you will get the equivalent of that with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. In those shots of him narrating to us so close to the camera you see how converted his face is that even his chin starts to pop out at. Yeah yeah you have objects thrown at you blah blah blah what's new you ask? Well what if the things that are thrown at you surprise the hell out of you where you're just dodging things.That's pretty much the first two acts of the film used in 3D.BUT COME THE LAST ACT IF YOU ARE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS AND PUKE ON IMPACT. DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM IN 3D! In 2D you'll be able to handle it, but in 3D, you get a shit ton of in screen depth that you really do feel like you're high on a tightrope hoping to God you don't fall. As far as IMAX 3D goes, this is the most innovative use of 3D since Gravity. It may not be better, but it's a notch below it.

REVIEW: If you might remember the story Philippe Petit and his daring walk between the two towers in in the documentary Man on Wire in 2008 of the revolutionary tightrope walk in 1974 .Though most of the story is freaking crazy, the documentary was filled with heart and inspiration that seeing it play out into a narrative was needed. Thankfully visionary master director Robert Zemeckis made a new kind of biopic with The Walk. No it's nowhere near as perfect as his earlier work, but it's still a damn great film. The movie maintains to its source material with the same amount of energy the documentary had to offer.The film takes all the facts from the source material and stir with some stunning visual effects and you have one of the best films of the year. The only problem really is the structure. It begins like a storybook with Levitt narrating his humble beginnings in France from the inspiration of walking between the Twin Towers to....being a kid. The first act of the film lacks chronological order which makes the transitions hard to connect to the story which evidently led to the film itself lack detail of the story structure. There is a scene where Philippe and Annie [who both only earn street performer money so you have no idea how they got to] go to New York City to see the towers only to go back to France to Papa Rudy only to give Philippe money to go back to New York. It's really confusing how its all set up. Luckily as energetic and charismatic Levitt and his side characters are, the film moves at a very fast pace as it slowly becomes a new type of crime caper movie which is funny because its a good crime. There are elements that are over dramatic, but even when you watch the documentary the exaggeration is legit. Levitt may not have the physical attributes to mimic the real Petit but the verbal over the top accent is [believe it or not] pretty accurate to what he sounds like. The real thing that makes the The Walk shine so bright [pretty much the main reason you will watch it] is the entire last act where the plan to do this tightrope walk comes into fruition and you're on the biggest 3D ride of your life. When it comes down to it, the film isn't really about the crazy walk or the heist to pull it off, but is merely a love story to the Twin Towers and how much it inspired people.

LAST STATEMENT: Though it lacks chronological structure, Zemeckis' The Walk is a stunning 3D adventure filled with high octane thrills and inspiration that astounds your eyes and warms your heart.