Review: ‘The Walk’ sends us back to when the Twin Towers inspired dreams, not bad memories

Posted on October 16, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

When we think of the World Trade Center today, we think of passenger jets and fire and death. We also think of war and terrorism and broken dreams.
Prior to Sept. 11, 2001, if we thought about the World Trade Center at all, we thought about business and capitalism and steel structures reaching upward toward the sky.

But when French street performer and amateur wire-walker Philippe Petit first saw an artist’s rendering of the twin towers–which at the time were still under construction–he only thought of one thing: a wire between their tops upon which he would walk and amaze the world. The true story of Petit’s death-defying 1974 stunt has already been told in his autobiography “To Reach the Clouds” as well as the Academy Award-winning documentary, “Man on Wire.”

It was a fascinating story in “Man on Wire” and it is again in director Robert Zemeckis’s (“Forrest Gump,” “Flight”) “The Walk,” which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Inception”) as Petit. One part joyful celebration of a daring feat and one part heist thriller, “The Walk” is a lot of fun, and despite an unusual way of telling its story, an enjoyable two hours.

I rarely talk about 3D in movies because it so rarely adds anything to the experience, but Zemeckis, who has proven already to have a fair hand using the technique, brings his best work to this project, helping to capture the vertigo-inducing heights as Petit prepares to walk 110 stories above the streets of New York City. I’ve read that the film has produced actual vertigo in some audience members, but it didn’t bother me at all. More importantly, with one exception–shown in the trailer–the 3D was used to enhance the experience rather than simply to be a gimmick.

What makes the storytelling unusual is the fact that Petit narrates the entire movie, explaining his actions and emotions every step of the way. While this is a clear violation of the “show, don’t tell” rule of writing, it actually works (although admittedly I wasn’t sold for the first 10 or so minutes). This can be attributed to Gordon-Levitt’s impassioned performance, which goes well beyond his thick French accent. For the story to be about more than a simple stunt, we have to believe in Petit and his crazy mission, and in the end, we do.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.