Writer: Naseem Randhawa

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Watch this if you liked: "Man on Wire"

The Good, the Bad and the Vertigo:

If you're afraid of heights, then this film is one you should stay away from, as it's THAT good at inducing vertigo. But, if you can stomach it, then you're probably watching a strong Oscar contender for best film.

Set in 1968 up to the 70s, this heart-stopping, pulse drumming film, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a French-accented tightrope walker, Philippe Petit, whose dream is to walk across the New York's Twin Towers (aka. World Trade Centre). Don't confuse this film for a heist movie, as the suspense it builds feels pretty much the same when Petit's character gathers his crew to execute a meticulous plan involving his highly illegal stunt.

There is a bit of a backstory here in "The Walk", which may deter the pace of the film, however all of this is all necessary to set for the end climatic scene where the payoff is off the roof (literally). As all Hollywood films go, there's also a sub-plot involving Petit's love interest played by actress Charlotte Le Bon, but this serves to merely complement the story rather than overshadow the main theme of the movie.

The stunts itself are giddy-ing and at most times will leave you at the edge of your seat. Director Robert Zemeckis should be applauded for the seamless way he has planned out the sequences of the film, including the tightrope walk scenes which are perfectly executed to make one feel as he or she is barely hanging on a thread from dizzying heights.

Trivia:

The film is based on a true story surrounding Phillipe Petit, a French tightrope walker who wants to execute a wire walk between the World Trade Centre's Twin Towers.

Cinema Online, 23 October 2015