Review of The Walk (2015) by Tyler R — 13 Jul 2016

There is something special about Robert Zemeckis' films. In a day and age of CGI and huge set pieces, Zemeckis still focuses on characters and what makes them tick. The Walk is no different, as we watch a retelling of the events of the daredevil who illegally walked between the twin towers in New York.

Now, it becomes immediately apparent that this is just as much a film about the wirewalker as it is a film about the towers. The way the tower scenes are dizzyingly handled give the tower a personality and sense of personification of sorts.

And the human counterparts that seek to counter the tower are played pretty well. The cast gets widdled down as the film goes on, but the primary few are very well acted, even if it takes some time to get used to Joseph Gordon Levitt's French accent and dyed hair and such.

It is a little distracting at first, but it digests easily enough as the film goes on. The film is paced fairly well, never getting too bogged down in any subplots, and the narration bits aren't distracting, but complimentary, which is very rare.

And then there are the towers and the walk itself. A blend of practical sets and CGI, the buildup to the event is tense, but the walk is almost nauseating in how it is beautifully handled. You feel nervous as he slowly walks across and you hold your breath when the wind picks up.

It has to be seen to be believed. Overall, The Walk is another recent addition in character study by Zemeckis, and just like Flight, it's pretty great.