Twelve people have walked on the moon, but only one man - Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) - has ever, or will ever, walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers. Guided by his real-life mentor, Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley), 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. Robert Zemeckis, the director of such marvels as Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Back to the Future, Polar Express and Flight, again uses cutting edge technology in the service of an emotional, character-driven story. With innovative photorealistic techniques and IMAX 3D wizardry, The Walk is true big-screen cinema, a chance for moviegoers to viscerally experience the feeling of reaching the clouds. The film, a PG-rated, all-audience entertainment for moviegoers 8 to 80, unlike anything audiences have seen before, is a love letter to Paris and New York City in the 1970s, ... Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment
A French accented Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Philippe Petit with earnest. With a well sketched out character at hand, he manages to resonate the emotions fittingly. His chemistry with Charlotte Le Bon (as Annie) was charming while his interaction with Ben Kingsley (as Papa Rudy) were brilliant. Kingsley as expected was a scene stealer while Charlotte Le Bon was rather substandard.
Clément Sibony (as Jean-Louis) and César Domboy (as Jeff) was impeccably low-key in their supporting roles which played well in keeping the spotlight on the protagonist. James Badge Dale (as Jean- Pierre), Steve Valentine (as Barry Greenhouse) Ben Schwartz (as Albert) and Benedict Samuel (as David) played fundamental parts in keeping the humor alive as we reached the climax of the film.
"The Walk" is clearly designed with idea of enthralling the viewers in IMAX 3D. You'll find yourself wincing a couple of times and for anyone scared of heights; this film will get you a slightly anxious. The climax is spectacular and not for the faint hearted though the CGI in the wide scenes weren't up to the mark (shoestring budget I hear) as more often than not the images looked rather flat. Cinematography in general was enormously effective in immersing you into the set pieces while costume design were seamlessly complementary.
With Robert Zemeckis at the helm, much is to be expected. This isn't his finest work but he manages to pull off a well knitted story without going over the hill with dramatic distractions (i.e. exaggerated Twin Towers eulogy). The film even though not fast paced doesn't fall into the realm of boredom though the narratives were a buzz kill for momentum and could have been completely avoided chopping a good 10 minutes off the 123 minute run time. Obviously the censored/cut scenes (one at a pivotal junction) didn't help either.
If you've got an itch for IMAX; then this is the perfect film for you. It's flawed but you'll forget all of that as you find yourself on the edge of your seat during the breathtaking climax.