The Film
There is certainly no shortage of biopics these days. Film fans seem to love getting intricate details about presidents, entertainers, athletes, innovators, and other worthy subjects. There are so many deserving people. (Some are so deserving that they get more than one movie!) However, if you mentioned that there was a Philippe Petit biopic out there, most movie-goers wouldn't know what the hell you were talking about.
Of course, Robert Zemeckis has an eye for the unique -- and knows how to put an even crazier spin on some of those topics. That's why we have The Walk, a bizarre but pretty entertaining biopic.
The film follows the adventures of Petit, the French high-wire artist who walked across a cable suspended between the Twin Towers in August 1974.
That was Petit's claim to fame, but Zemeckis fills over 2 hours of screen time with a bit of the rhyme and reason, as well as a whole lot of narration. It's hard to believe that Petit (played here by a fast-, French-talking Joseph Gordon-Levitt) inspired so many others to help him pull off such a stunt, but here we are.
And here you will remain glued for most of the movie. At 123 minutes, it's sort of a long one though. The first two thirds do drag a bit, but there is a lot of chemistry between Petit and his posse, most notably mentor Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley). In fact, it would have been nice if the film ditched all of the narration and concentrated a little more on some of those relationships. However, once the action moves to New York, it's crazy just how crazy the movie gets.
Those moments where Petit is hovering over the city are both gorgeous and nauseating. He bounces around on the wire, switches directions (multiple times), and even lays down. It's so worth the wait.
Still on the fence about whether you want to check out this movie? Read Matthew Passantino's theatrical review of The Walk.
The Picture
Although The Walk wasn't technically made for 3D (it was converted), it offers a pretty excellent 3D viewing experience. The Blu-ray displays a lot of detail, with excellent colors and contrast throughout. The actual 3D effects are also a lot of fun, without being too gimmicky. The film has a lot of depth to it, which isn't just evident during the moments where Petit is indulging in his passion. Of course, it is most memorable during those scenes. That said, there's tons of texture on the walls, the brick streets, and even on the actual high-wire. It should also be noted that "the walk" offers the best visuals of the entire movie. Looking down on that wire with the city beneath it is just awesome, but may actually trigger a little vertigo. It's that good.
The Sound
Surprisingly, the audio for The Walk doesn't pack too much of a punch. That's not to say that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track doesn't do its job, but the addition of Dolby Atmos would have been awesome. Maybe the studio was worried about inducing panic attacks or something, but I digress. The music works, the dialogue is always clear, and there's plenty of atmospheric sounds. The street scenes and one passing helicopter offer the biggest bang for your buck.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
The Walk may seem like more of a crawl in some spots. It's a lengthy movie, which wouldn't be such a big deal if the film focused more on Philippe Petit's motivation and his many accomplices. That said, the film's ending has some breathtaking 3D visuals that shouldn't be missed. Enjoy.
Product Details
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