User Reviews

From the first scene Joseph Gordon-Levitt dons the all black persona and talks about his passion, I'm hooked. This monologue heavy delivery requires that caliber of performance from the lead, also reminds me of Ewan McGregor on Big Fish. It takes the audience on a bizarre yet fascinating adventure and makes us feel like a part of the character's larger-than-life endeavor.

This is the story of Philippe Petit, a performer with the idea of wire-walking across the World Trade Center towers. While it may sound simple, the journey there is a captivating one. The presentation is almost magical with circus act and flamboyant atmosphere, although there are plenty of realistic details and intricate planning involved, at times it almost feels like a funny heist movie.

Visual is breathtaking, the cinematography takes full advantages of the vistas, let it be small village or big city. The way the scenes are shot gives the movie a much more surreal ambiance. It's an enhanced realism, and although it's not as refined, there's a spirit of Hugo lingering here. It makes great use of 3D with timely panoramic shots and even stuff-thrown-at-your-face antic, but for this movie I wouldn't mind.

The same goes with its jazz influenced soundtracks, occasional slow ballad or alternate take on popular songs. The production value just oozes gorgeousness. All the technical aspects aside, the best attraction is definitely Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He is utterly remarkable, youthful and charming. This is the kind of acting prowess that can captivate audience with sheer passion, it's a true homage to the real life counterpart.

The Walk is nothing short of a breathtaking tale. Its charismatic protagonist and masterful visual invite the audience to not only walk alongside, but in a sense glide freely through such an inspiring story.

To learn about and understand the life of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit, who illegally performed a high-wire walk between the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in 1974, one might be better off with the 2008 James Marsh-directed documentary "Man on Wire". However, "The Walk" is a worthy experience about a dreamer who risked everything to achieve the impossible, and gave the people something beautiful, pure and hopeful.

The film is interspersed with scenes of Phillippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) talking directly to the audience, narrating his life story and the events that led up to his high-wire stunt, or as he calls it – "le coup". This certainly takes away the potential emotional and cinematic impact longer, narration-free scenes would've had on audiences but it served the purpose of moving the story forward swiftly. The first half feels crammed even though it is pretty much by-the-books: we skim through Petit's life leading up to the event without going in-depth. Which is understandable for a reasonable running time as there is a lot of ground to cover.

The unbearably intense second half surely makes up for this. It's taut with thrills and sequences boasting miraculous visual effects. The 30-minute finale is a immersive, transporting and even physical (as evidenced by my sweaty palms) experience that's one-of-a-kind. In fact, I would go so far as to say that there's no point watching the film anywhere else other than at a cinema.

Levitt's passionate performance is commendable and definitely contributes to a sufficiently emotionally satisfying third act. The film also makes it clear that this wasn't a one-man-show by highlighting Petit and his allies' team spirit. With "The Walk", Robert Zemeckis has given us another crowd-pleasing piece of popcorn entertainment.

What did you expect from the director of Back to the Future and Forrest Gump? Robert Zameckis has another thoroughly enjoyable film, The Walk, about Philippe Petit's (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) high-wire walk between the World trade Center's twin towers in 1974. It's as romantic as Gump and addictive as Future with the added interest of a biopic that is true to its history.

From the first moment we meet Petit talking to us from the top of the Statue of Liberty, and this story is about freedom if nothing else, we know we are in the presence of a man who has followed his dream and achieved it. To co-writers Zameckis and Christopher Browne must go praise for giving the Frenchmen poetic English in small doses, just enough to elevate the proceedings from nuts and bolts to heady ambition.

Those 15 minutes on the wire are as suspenseful as possible—a mark of the true auteur, who can make us worry for our hero even though we know he will survive (he does narrate after all, and some audience will remember Man on a Wire, the excellent doc from 2008). Because Zameckis knows his special effects, I was mesmerized by the shots from atop the towers to the street below. Although I don't like heights anyway, I had to look down every time in wonder at the scope of the danger to Petit.

While the Walk is about this extraordinary man, it is also a romantic eulogy to the towers, which arguably became favorites of New Yorkers after Petit's stunt. The "forever" pass to the top of the towers he receives as a reward from the city is painfully ironic considering 9/11. Because his feat was once in a lifetime, perhaps the passing of the towers reminds us that nothing lasts "forever."

Robert Zemeckis continue's to be of the best director's in Hollywood. He has made a beautiful movie and even though you know what happens, he keeps you gripping your armrests and holding your breath until the very end. Joseph Gordon-Levitt shines in this role along with the rest of the cast.

I suppose this review is also for the people who were in New York during 9/11. As a survivor of 9/11, I couldn't help but cry at the end of the movie. Seeing the Twin Towers rising in all their glory, basking in the sunset and reminding us of their beauty that so many of us took for granted, brought back so many emotions for me. They were like old friends saying hello and goodbye one last time.

Thank you Zemeckis for telling a great story, making a beautiful movie and bringing back old friends to life!

If possible, go see it in IMAX! You won't regret it!

This movie is shallow. The plot is boring; conversations between characters are very loud. Acting was not good; the acting was focused on changing accent. Cut away the noise from the conversations, the movie is plain. This should not be made into a movie, but a documentary.

Philippe Petit is a trained professional, so there is not too much drama about the whole thing. He had a great idea of walking across the twin tower building, but that's about as exciting as it gets. Yes, this movie is for family, but I would rather see a documentary about the whole thing.

This movie surely exceeded my expectations, let me start by saying this is one of the best well-made movies I have seen this year. The technique, cinematography, music, ... are all top notch. Most of us already know the story, and some of us saw other movies about the same man, but this one definitely has the highest production values. What I like most about "The Walk" is what I think differentiates it from the other movies, you feel the importance and grandeur of the twin towers, for a moment there you feel they are the stars of the movie, an integral part of the story that Robert Zemeckis did a great job capturing their character and presence. I felt this movie was more of a tribute to the towers than of Philip's, it sheds a different light on the walk that will give you a warm feeling by the end. You realize that they weren't just any two buildings, they attracted a young man from across the Atlantic and changed his life forever.

The Walk is a true story about high-wire artist, Philippe Petit(Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Ever since he was a boy, Philippe has always been fascinated by the art of tightrope walking. After mastering the art of tightrope walking, Philippe will now attempt to achieve the impossible. With the help of a small crew, Philippe will pull off a coup, as he calls it, & use his high-wire to walk the massive distance between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. This is Philippe Petit's ultimate dream.

The Walk is a masterpiece. It is an extremely realistic & immersive theater experience. Director Robert Zemeckis has done a wonderful job in recreating the actual events of Petit's life. The last 40 minutes of the film, is worth the ticket price alone. The Walk is my all time favorite 3D movie. Right from the first scene, till the last scene, the 3D provides both immense depth & many eye-popping moments. The cinematography is wonderful. Both Paris & New York City in the 1970s, have been portrayed beautifully. When Petit takes that climactic walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center the 3D definitely adds to the thrill of the experience. If you have a fear of heights or even otherwise, you will be on the edge of your seat as Philippe Petit embarks on one of the most dangerous feats ever attempted, in the history of mankind. You will be hoping against hope that Philippe Petit successfully completes his life changing walk. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is outstanding as Philippe Petit. The fact that Gordon-Levitt learned the art of tightrope walking & speaks in an authentic French accent is commendable. Charlotte Le Bon is great as Annie. Ben Kingsley is superb as Papa Rudy. Clement Sibony is brilliant as Jean-Louis. Cesar Domboy is amazing as Jeff/Jean-Francois. Steve Valentine is good as Barry Greenhouse. James Badge Dale is awesome as Jean-Pierre/J.P. Ben Schwartz & Benedict Samuel are impressive as Albert & David respectively. The Walk is a must watch. If you're not a movie buff but, you want to watch one movie in the theater this year, make it The Walk.

In 1974, the French street juggler and equilibrist Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) decides to cross the towers of the World Trade Center walking on a tightrope. He travels from France to the USA with his girlfriend Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) and their friend and photographer Jean-Louis (Clément Sibony). They team-up with a small group of residents and plot a scheme to take their equipment to the roof of the building. Will Philippe make his dream come true?

"The Walk" is a highly entertaining adventure based on a true story. The performances are great but the special effect of the crossing of Philippe is amazing. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Travessia" ("The Crossing")

Robert Zemeckis is a filmmaker that can make a masterpiece out of a single subject as walking over a wire from point A to Point B, He is the mastermind behind such films like Forrest Gump, Back to the future, Cast away and flight, the last two films are IMO subjects filmed out of a simple difficult thing but extraordinary as being a castaway or an Airline pilot.

The walk is one of the best films of the year, i do not think Levitt will get any Oscar nomination or but the technicality of the film will sure do, Zemeckis is one of Cinema's prodigy sons and a master of camera-work and the film looks really amazing.

The best thing in this movie doesn't belong to it: the story itself. That's half way for having a good movie. And if it is true that the technology nowadays allows us a vivid and immersive experience (thanks IMAX 3D), and that together with the good acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley they bring this film to a 7, it still falls way too short of what such a story can bring, as it was brilliantly done at Man on Wire. Mind you, it is still a good reason to go to the cinema, but if you can only pick one film about Philippe Petit, go for Man on Wire. That one is a hell of a piece of storytelling!

A story with great potential, ruined by awful directing - that's what this movie is. There is a complete lack of deepness in building characters, relations and even the maturing of the idea of walking a high wire and organizing the coup was pith-less and unconvincing. Not to mention the overacting by J.G.Levitt through the whole movie that results in perceiving the protagonist as a dull, arrogant and unpleasant character.In the same time, there is not enough action to compensate the viewer for the hollow script and make the watching entertaining. With a proper direction and without the comedy style representation of the story this could be much more worthy.

As a small boy, this reviewer read with excitement about the exploits of the great French 19th century tight-rope walker Charles Blondin who crossed the 1,100ft Niagara Gorge, many times in fact. Growing up, I followed the exploits of the eponymous Lt. Theo Kojak patrolling the mean streets of Manhattan South in the 1970's TV cop series. In the late-1990s I was able to visit New York City.

There is much romance surrounding the Empire State building. In 1957 it was the setting for the romantic film 'An Affair to Remember' starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. The 1993 film 'Sleepless in Seattle' starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, is in truth, really little more than a reworking of that older film. Getting to the top of the building is hard work and takes a long time, and that is with using the series of lifts to get you there. At the top you discover that even a famous horse was there too.

By contrast the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center seemed a let down. Sure, they were an iconic sight, briefly seen in many movies such as 'Working Girl' (1988), and even functioning as a prop in 'Escape from New York' (1981). But the large, fast, and functional lifts, shot you up to the top of the building in no time at all. This all changed for me on Tuesday 11th September 2001. Watching live on the TV, I found the scenes almost impossible to believe. For many months it was difficult to accept the reality of what had happened. Now I am always happy to see a shot of the towers, such as in the opening sequence of HBO's TV series 'The Sopranos' (1999-2007), and would have preferred it to have been retained.

In this new film, 'The Walk' (2015), Director Robert Zemeckis, has penned a screenplay from the book 'To Reach the Clouds', that tells a true story of the early days of the Twin Towers. The story could be considered unbelievable, but this film is in fact a true representation of this astonishing story.

The film is narrated, thus giving us the audience the needed exposition. The early part of the film is set in Paris, France, and is cleverly filmed in a distinctive French-style. Innovative use is made of black-and white photography, subtitles and French-mime to help tell the story of a young street performer working the streets of Paris who uses mime and his juggling skills. His name is Philippe Petit, and in this film he is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The era is the late-sixties, and this is shown well. Philippe himself is a self-proclaimed anarchist. He also has an ambitious dream which is accurately and authentically captured in this film. In 1968, at the age of 17, he reads about the building of the Twin Towers and resolves to walk from one tower to another on a tightrope stretched across the top of the towers.

Before that though we have a nice romance between Philippe and Annie, played by Charlotte Le Bon. We have too, in this film, Ben Kingsley playing the role of an old high-wire performer, teaching his protégé the ropes. We get believable and thoughtful performances from the star and the supporting actors. Philippe, in 1971, walks between the towers of the cathedral of Notre Dame, shown in this film, and in 1973, did a walk at the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, though this is not in the film.

Now Philippe resolves to carry out his ambition at the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City in the USA. This is where the rest of the film is located. Philippe recruits his supporters and they plan their coup. There is a time-element here, as the Towers are nearing completion. Detailed planning is also required and equipment is needed too. It is determined that a 450LB cable will be required as well as a specially made 55LB 26ft balancing pole. The gap between the towers was 200ft, the height above ground 1,368ft. The coup was planned for 7th of August 1974, one week before Philippe's 25th birthday.

While the acting is good, and the contrast between Paris and New York is shown authentically, and cleverly, by the different styles of filming, it is the special-effects that make this film. This reviewer saw the 3D version of this film. It was one of the main draws of the film and it must be doubted that this film could have been made as authentically before now. The camera shoots up and down the Twin Towers as well as across the wire. It looks down at the wire, and then swoops down to the ground. The effect is truly breathtaking. The tension is there throughout the latter part of the film. There too, are you, on the wire, looking up, and down.

It is clear how dangerous and foolhardy was this coup that Philippe Petit attempted. Nowadays, he would be declared an adrenalin junkie. No doubt he was that. This attempt can now never be replicated. I had thought that the WTC should not have been built on. I was wrong. It is right that something bigger and better should be built. The human spirit should always strive to go onwards and upwards.

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center remain, always, an iconic vision of New York City, as well as the indomitable symbol of soaring ambition, vision, and the spirit of humanity throughout the world. Now Philippe Petit and Robert Zemeckis have given it it's own magic and romance too.

Breathtaking! 10/10.

The Walk is a 2015 American 3D biographical drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Christopher Browne and Zemeckis. It is based on the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on August 7, 1974.

This terrific movie has all the elements of success: true story, great acting,good drama,sweet romance and a nice comedy.

The 3D Special Effects Are Excellent Indeed and the direction was great.

This PG Movie Is A Real Recommended Masterpiece that will enchant adults,teens and children.

Truly Deserves 10 Out Of 10.

Philippe Petit: "People always ask me "why do you risk death"? For me, this is life".

The Walk is based on a true story of Philippe Petit, a French high- wire artist, and his group of friends, who staged an unauthorized attempt to cross the World Trade Center Twin Towers in 1974.

Robert Zemeckis is very well known now for using groundbreaking technology as a style of film making. It make's every scene in he's films look absolutely jaw dropping and visually stunning. That's why Robert Zeneckis always wanted to make this movie so badly, so he can take that stunning visual style that he has and put it to the big screen. Zemeckis has said in an interview that "His Entire Career Has Been Preparation for The Walk", so that right there shows Zeneckis strong interest on the story and how he can easily adapted a story like this into a film. We already know he can do it, I mean this is the same director who made Forrest Gump for crying out loud, so him failing seems impossible at this point. But I needed to see the film myself to judge and while knowing the film has positive reviews, I need to judge myself.

After seeing "The Walk", I can safely say that Zemeckis nailed it once again as this movie was great.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a solid job playing Philippe Petit. Gordon- Levitt really got into his character, because he actually learned wire walking and how to do it correctly by Philippe Petit himself. I know a lot of people have been talking about Joseph Gordon-Levitt french accent in the movie and how out of place it can be, and yes I do admit it did take me off guard a bit, but I got use to it after awhile. But here's the thing; Philippe Petit doesn't have an normal french accent and I think Gordon-Levitt did a great job emulating that. I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt did the best performance he could have done and I got to give him credit for that and I'm standing by that.

Robert Zemeckis directed this movie and as I said before; Zemeckis knows how to push the boundaries of CGI technology with the movie he made such as: Back to the Future, Who framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump. And Zemeckis once again did an excellent job telling an interesting story and the use of CGI bleeding in perfectly with the environment that the movie is set in. Robert Zemeckis is the man for the job when it comes to film making like this and he did such an amazing job directing this movie. Nicely done Zemeckis.

The second act of the movie where he starts to walk across the wire between the twin towers was absolutely amazing and also terrifying, because I have this thing with heights and I can go vertigo easily. I sawed the movie in IMAX 3D and my god the 3D in this movie worked so incredibly well that I literally felt like I was up there with Gordon-Levitt. My hands were sweating, my heart was pumping and the sequence itself was truly spectacular.

The visual effect's in this movie are so perfectly executed and so beautiful to look at. I would go this far and call it flawless CGI as it's truly stunning.

Now for the problems: The first half of the movie felt a little underwhelming and a bit slow for me. It felt a bit dragged out with some of the scenes and it made the pasting seem a little slow.

Overall The Walk may have a slow first half, but the second act of the film is so perfectly executed and it's absolutely worth seeing in IMAX. The acting is great, the directing is fantastic, the visual effect's are stunning and the 3D is worth the price of a ticket.

The Walk is a visual masterpiece with a captivating story and superb acting. It was intense, thrilling, and emotional. The cinematography was top notch and the CGI was impeccable. This was truly an amazing cinematic experience that was made for IMAX 3D.

The basic story of The Walk is this: a French street performer becomes obsessed with hanging a high wire between the two Twin Towers and walking on it. He flies to New York, recruits a few people to help him, and after weeks of of planning, is ready to perform an impossible stunt that will be remembered forever. The script is very well written and the story comes across very nicely to the viewer. It focuses on all the right moments for the right amount of time, which means the pacing is generally good. My only problem arises in the beginning as I felt it was a little rushed. Character development is also not the finest, but it is enough to make the viewer care about the characters. Other than that the story was told in a very captivating way that left viewer on the edge of their seat.

The Walk is a visual treat, specifically the last part of the film. There are magnificent, swooping camera shots showing off the beautiful Twin Towers in all their glory and with IMAX 3D, the viewer feels like they are thousands of feet in the air on the high wire. There were multiple times in this movie where vertigo kicked in due to the crazy heights portrayed in the film. The cinematography really helps the viewer become immersed in the experience as there are so many memorable shots of the Twin Towers and views of New York City. The CGI used to create this wonderful experience looks insanely real and really makes one appreciate the beauty and height of the Twin Towers. When Philippe Petit is on the high wire, wind and distant traffic noises are added to the incredible CGI to enhance the feeling of being 110 stories up in the air and with moving camera angles, the experience is beautiful and realistic.

The acting in this movie is superb. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is amazing as Philippe Petit and really does a good job showing how insane Petit really was. Charlotte Le Bon also does a fine job portraying Petit's girlfriend, and Ben Kingsley gives a good performance as Petit's mentor. All the supporting cast give great performances as well.

Robert Zemeckis does an amazing job making this movie as intense and thrilling as possible. His direction really made this movie what it is; and it is visual spectacle told within a great story.

In the end, The Walk is a visually thrilling and intensely told masterpiece. It boast beautiful cinematography, flawless CGI, great acting and direction, and a captivating story. This is truly a movie to behold in IMAX 3D and one will come out of the theater feeling immensely satisfied with the experience. The Twin Towers were beautifully portrayed in this movie and made one appreciate their existence even more. I am proud to say that this is one of the best and most satisfying movie experiences of this year.

"The coup has begun. My life is no longer in my control." Philippe Petit (Gordon-Levitt) is a tight rope walker who doesn't do anything small. After being told he can't do something he makes it his goal to accomplish the feat. He begins my showing his skills in the streets of France, then to the Notre Dame cathedral. When he sees a picture his life, and the world is changed. Philippe enlists a group of men to help him accomplish his dream, to hang a wire between the twin towers in New York and walk across it. This is not a typical biopic if that's what you are looking for. This deals with a specific event in someones life. The most amazing thing about this movie is that it doesn't have to embellish the actual events because there is enough drama on its own. If you don't think a movie about a man walking on a tight rope can be tense and exciting I challenge you to say that after watching this. The movie itself is really good and I liked it, but this is one of the most visually striking movies I think I have ever seen. The way the movie is filmed it really makes it easy to feel what he is feeling and you really get the sense of the danger he is up against. I was looking forward to watching this and was not disappointed, I just wish I would have saw it on the big screen. Overall, tense and visually appealing, the type of of movie 3D was made for. I give this a B+.

Phillipe Petit shocked the entire world when he was seen walking on a high-wire cable, secured between the World Trade Center's Twin Towers in New York City during its construction. Over one-hundred stories above ground, walking on a wire barely an inch wide, Phillipe could've lost his balanced and plunged to his death at any second. However, that didn't seem to be the story that spilled its way into the public; the focus was more on this unassuming Frenchman and his love for risking his life and facing his potential fate in a head-on, fearless manner. Petit believed, in a sense, that risking your life was the only way to know and feel that you were indeed alive.

Petit's story has become widely known and discussed thank to "Man on Wire," a fantastic 2008 documentary that outlines in detail the how and why of his fearless act. Robert Zemeckis's "The Walk," however, is a well-made, thematically significant account of the events, told within the boundaries of a biopic that takes an introspective, fourth-wall-breaking look at how Petit accomplished what he did.

Petit is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who stands atop The Statue of Liberty whilst telling this unfathomable story. From the first scene, showcasing Petit on the statue, one will immediately detect a strangeness in Gordon-Levitt's French accent. The man who we recently saw proudly boasting and owning a full-bloodied Italian accent has now adopted a rather hammy French accent that occasionally treads the line of self-parody. This is the film's first, and really only, obstacle; if you can get past this, your enjoyment of the film will likely be pretty high. If you can't overlook this, I wish you the best one-hundred and twenty minutes.

The film follows Petit's humble beginnings on the streets of France as a young troubadour, from performing as a street-mime and meeting Annie (Charlotte Le Bon), a singer who performs in the streets as well, who will eventually be an accomplice to his high-wire act in New York City, to becoming an ambitious wire-walker. He enlists in the help of Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), a famous tightrope walker in the circus, who agrees to help him accomplish his dreams, albeit reluctantly so. The remainder of the latter half of the film concerns the extensive planning and development of Petit's plan to walk the rope between the Twin Towers and subsequently carrying out his actions.

Audiences sold by the film's series of daring and ambitious trailers may be shocked to note how much goes into the exposition of the buildup and around-the-clock planning of the walk itself. By the hour mark, I was beginning to question why Zemeckis, a known "visualist" in Hollywood, responsible for gems like "Back to the Future" and "The Polar Express," was chosen to direct a film that was so narrative-driven. But then, as quickly as the film began, the scenes atop the World Trade Center did, and in a way, allowed the real film to finally start as a result. When one sees how magnificent and captivating the scenes surrounding Petit's walk is when they'll see Zemeckis's artistic vision; it was an event so unspeakably tranquil yet suspenseful that I couldn't help but feel my palms sweat. The way Zemeckis and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski - who intently focuses on clouds and atmospheric naturalism during the walk - wrap the audience up in the awe-inspiring risk and inherent danger that comes with this event makes the film transcend fiction in a way that has the ability to give audiences a real experience. So few films do that that it becomes petty to complain about something like the weakness of Gordon-Levitt's accent.

On a thematic note, however, "The Walk" is a fascinating look at the ideas of optimism and courage that have ostensibly become interwoven in the fabric of American society of the years. The Twin Towers, in the film and in real-life, represented financial stability and international connectedness, and Zemeckis works to emphasize it in a way that spells out loving respect more-so than it does imminent disaster. The towers are viewed as a simple of untold bravery, much like Petit, and "The Walk" reminds us of a time period that still had the remainder of the world looking to America as a place of impossible achievement.

Zemeckis does a wonderful job at blending drama with visuals here, much like he did in his last film "Flight," a brilliant drama that came unfairly branded as both a disaster film and a courtroom drama. With "The Walk," Zemeckis takes empathy-inspiring visuals and themes of American exceptionalism and makes them function in a manner that is germane to the film's inherent aura of wonder. If you want it broken down in a simplistic manner, however, its delightful cinematic qualities and breathtaking visuals justify the ticket-price.

This live action feature film directed by Robert Zemeckis is phenomenal! There is nothing about it that I don't like.

The Walk is set in 1974 and is about a high-wire artist named Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who lives in Paris. He sees a photo in a magazine about the construction of the Twin Towers in NYC and gets the inspiration to walk a tight rope connecting the two buildings. This is highly illegal and very dangerous. He meets up with a girl named Annie Allix (Charlotte Le Bon) who falls in love with him and supports him with his dream. He finds a mentor and father figure in Pappa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), and five other accomplices who support him in this life or death adventure. The Walk is a true story.

The Walk is a drama/thriller with a spice of romance and comedy. Because it is based on a true story, it makes this movie even cooler and much more intense! This is also an educational movie because I didn't know much about high-wire artists until this movie. I learned that there is a lot of science and math about how the wire is secured to provide safety for the walker.

My favorite character is Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) because he is just flat-out amazing and super believable! My favorite scene is when Philippe is facing his biggest dream of tightrope walking between the twin towers. They were 140 feet apart and 110 stories high! This scene is so realistic and exhilarating that my palms were sweaty and other audience members were squirming in their seats. Philippe says that high-wire artists are never supposed to look down when tightrope walking. Does he heed his own advice?

The Walk has jaw-dropping special effects. The opening scenes in Paris are completely in black and white except for an occasional pop of color, which sets a nostalgic mood. The Twin Towers were already gone when this movie was filmed, so how did they make this so realistic? This part is truly fantastic! Watching it in 3D made it so lifelike and totally added to the intensity of the viewing experience.

I recommend The Walk for ages 11 to 18 due to the suspense and mild language. Hands down I give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars because it is so amazing! The special effects can't be beat and the acting is super strong! I loved this movie and it is definitely on my favorites list!

Reviewed by Lainey A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

I came to this film having watched the documentary "Man On The Wire" where the real Philippe Petit recounts the inside story of his jaw-dropping high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York, just before their construction was completed, in the summer of 1974. That was fascinating in itself, but in just using archive photography, couldn't in the end really deliver the actual physical experience of the walk that early August morning and that is what Robert Zemeckis, a director who knows a thing or two about creating the cinematic fantastic does here.

The back up story of how Petit became a high-wire walker and planned his "coup" as he termed it, with his support team, I remembered from the earlier film and so I found myself impatiently hurrying these scenes along until the fateful moment when he sets out for his morning walk, suspended a mere quarter of a mile above the city. I must admit, it doesn't disappoint, the full scale of his vertiginous perambulation brought out with multiple viewpoint camera-work, taking the viewer up there with Petit as it happened.

As the New York police arrive up on the roof of both buildings to call a halt to proceedings, it's all the viewer can do to stop shouting at them on the screen not to detract him from his walk as one slip of concentration could prove disastrous, even more so when they send a helicopter up above him, without thought of what the down-draft might do to him. Then incredibly, as in reality, Petit walks back and forth between the buildings, lying down halfway across and taking bows, remarkable as it may seem. I was reminded of those hair-raisingly famous black and white pictures of the workmen sitting astride the steel plates with their lunch canteens during the construction of the Emoire State Building in the 30's.

Joseph-Gordon Levitt doesn't really have to do much (!) as Petit other than his enigmatic pieces to camera and accomplish the walks themselves but he convincingly succeeds in taking you into Petit's head, even down to speaking fluent French as the occasion demands. Ben Kingsley is effective as his mentor and teacher Papa Rudy, while the other major presences in the film are the Towers themselves and beyond them the city and people of New York itself.

Reference is respectfully made at the end, as it must do, to the horrific events of September 11, but the film succeeds in ensuring that at least one other part of the Towers history celebrates the courage of one man during its construction as opposed to the cowardice of the many who plotted its destruction.

The rare type of film that comes around with both pedigree and a want to be loved but struggles to make a case for why it even came around in the first place, famed director Robert Zemeckis – the man responsible for such gems as Forrest Gump and Cast Away, has with The Walk developed a handsomely crafted and sporadically affecting retelling of much more interesting true story of wire walker Phillipe Petit.

The main reason that bewilders me and seemingly many others about The Walk's very inception is that in 2008 documentary filmmaker turned feature length director James Marsh delivered one of cinemas great documentaries with the stunning and heartfelt Man on Wire, that not only spoke in depth about the life of Petit and more importantly his breathtaking wire walk across the distance between the then still standing Twin Towers of New York but also re-enacted the events that transpired as good as any feature film incarnation was going to do.

Zemeckis has also been a highly assured filmmaker and a director that can do heart to coincide with spectacle but where Man on Wire acts as a tense and emotionally strong telling of this unbelievable true story, The Walk just doesn't have the thrills that doco provided and even the best efforts of Joseph Gordon Levitt can't save the film from an overall sense of mundanity.

Always a likable presence on the big screen, Levitt had big shoes to fill in portraying the larger than life Petit and while he tries his hardest he never fully functions as a death-defying Frenchman. The other point The Walk tries it's hardest on is in the titular walk and it sure does look fantastic in a slightly forgettable type of way but it's not enough to sell the whole movie on and its quite clear now in the aftermath of the films lacking box office performance and almost no showing at awards shows that neither critics or audiences felt overly attached or wowed to this heist film with a difference.

With Man on Wire readily available for viewers to find an enjoy, The Walk feels like a rather unnecessary film and while it's by no means horrible, it certainly doesn't do enough to stand alongside it's much better documentary forefather and you can't help but escape the feeling this was a real non-eventful retelling of a highly eventful moment in artistic history.

2 ½ sore feet out of 5