The Walk
The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974.
What critics thought
Zemeckis's recreation of Philippe Petit's 1974 Twin Towers walk earns its reputation almost entirely in the final act — the wire-walk sequence in 3-D IMAX is where the film comes alive, with Gordon-Levitt's physical and emotional performance landing hardest when he's mostly silent. The near-universal caveat is that the first half is a slog: critics disagreed mainly on how much the weak setup undercuts the thrilling payoff, and whether the voiceover narration and stage-musical whimsy are charming or simply cloying.
“The film's payoff more than compensates for a lumbering setup, laden with cloying voiceover narration and strained whimsy.”
David Rooney·The Hollywood Reporter
“It's two-thirds of a great film but the slow start and unremarkable first hour hold it back. Still, for those who buy into the precept that good things are worth waiting for, The Walk unquestionably delivers.”
James Berardinelli·ReelViews
“Expect the worst from the first half — that's before Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) strings up a wire between the World Trade Center towers. But then, oh, baby, does this movie fly.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“Gordon-Levitt does some of his best acting when he's out on the wire and mostly silent, his face glowing from the sheer crazy joy he's feeling.”
Richard Roeper·Chicago Sun-Times
“The film gets better as it goes, and the last half-hour (especially in 3-D on an Imax screen) is nearly everything it should be: scary, visually momentous, meticulously realized.”
Michael Phillips·Chicago Tribune
Parents guide
- Violence
- mild
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
History, Drama, Adventure
Cast & Crew
Robert ZemeckisDirector
Joseph Gordon-LevittPhilippe Petit
Ben KingsleyPapa Rudy
Charlotte Le BonAnnie Allix
James Badge DaleJ.P.
Clément SibonyJean-Louis
César DomboyJeff / Jean-François
Benedict SamuelDavid
Ben SchwartzAlbert
Steve ValentineBarry Greenhouse
Sergio Di ZioOfficer Genco
Kwasi SonguiMan with Plaid Sports Coat
Alan SilvestriComposer
Philippe PetitWriter
Dariusz WolskiCinematographyThe Walk
The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974.
What critics thought
Zemeckis's recreation of Philippe Petit's 1974 Twin Towers walk earns its reputation almost entirely in the final act — the wire-walk sequence in 3-D IMAX is where the film comes alive, with Gordon-Levitt's physical and emotional performance landing hardest when he's mostly silent. The near-universal caveat is that the first half is a slog: critics disagreed mainly on how much the weak setup undercuts the thrilling payoff, and whether the voiceover narration and stage-musical whimsy are charming or simply cloying.
“The film's payoff more than compensates for a lumbering setup, laden with cloying voiceover narration and strained whimsy.”
David Rooney·The Hollywood Reporter
“It's two-thirds of a great film but the slow start and unremarkable first hour hold it back. Still, for those who buy into the precept that good things are worth waiting for, The Walk unquestionably delivers.”
James Berardinelli·ReelViews
“Expect the worst from the first half — that's before Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) strings up a wire between the World Trade Center towers. But then, oh, baby, does this movie fly.”
Peter Travers·Rolling Stone
“Gordon-Levitt does some of his best acting when he's out on the wire and mostly silent, his face glowing from the sheer crazy joy he's feeling.”
Richard Roeper·Chicago Sun-Times
“The film gets better as it goes, and the last half-hour (especially in 3-D on an Imax screen) is nearly everything it should be: scary, visually momentous, meticulously realized.”
Michael Phillips·Chicago Tribune
Parents guide
- Violence
- mild
- Sex
- mild
- Profanity
- mild
- Substances
- mild
- Intensity
- moderate
Genres
History, Drama, Adventure
Cast & Crew
Robert ZemeckisDirectorJoseph Gordon-LevittPhilippe PetitBen KingsleyPapa RudyCharlotte Le BonAnnie AllixJames Badge DaleJ.P.Clément SibonyJean-LouisCésar DomboyJeff / Jean-FrançoisBenedict SamuelDavidBen SchwartzAlbertSteve ValentineBarry GreenhouseSergio Di ZioOfficer GencoKwasi SonguiMan with Plaid Sports CoatAlan SilvestriComposerPhilippe PetitWriterDariusz WolskiCinematography