“Why do you risk death?”…”For me, this IS LIFE…”
From the Director who brought us such phenomenal films as the BACK TO THE FUTURE Trilogy, FORREST GUMP, CASTAWAY, and FLIGHT ~ Robert Zemeckis ~ comes the high-flying true-life tale of entertainer and tight rope walker Philippe Petit, with his new visual masterpiece ~ THE WALK.
Entranced by the tight-rope walkers at the circus as a child, Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) knew what his life’s ambition would be, to entertain the masses with his juggling and high-wire acts, he had perfected over the years.
Constantly in search of somewhere new to place “his rope”, Petit is mesmerized by the vision of the soon-to-be-built World Trade Center…aka, the TWIN TOWERS, which are destined to take up the skyline of New York City in the early 1970’s.
Bound and determined to walk the vastness between these two monstrosities, Petit’s mentor and confidant Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley) readies him for the feat. With his confidence at an all time high ~ Petite joins forces with his girl friend Annie (Charlotte Le Bon), and a few other accomplices along the way too, as he prepares to complete HIS IMPOSSIBLE DREAM….
I give THE WALK a rating of: A MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN and in IMAX 3D too!!! Levitt is amazing as Philippe Petit, and the ingenious tempo and way this film is portrayed with Petit telling his own story, is absolutely magical. You will find yourself totally immersed in this real-life story, as you become enchanted with each and every character throughout the film too. Zemekis’s way of bringing a story TO LIFE is apparent yet again, as THE WALK is a true cinematic tour de force. And, take it from someone who is desperately afraid of heights, I was expecting to be looking in another direction all throughout this film, as I was sure there would be scenes that were going “to get me”, but, amazingly, the storyline and breathtaking imagery kept me viewing each and every frame ~ Okay maybe I looked away once, but I won’t tell you what scene!! Take my word for it, THE WALK will be talked about more and more once awards season is upon us, as this film will find itself in contention for Best Cinematography, or a Best Actor nod for Levitt, heck, it might even be in contention as one of the BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR…as it really is… just that good!!!
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 