The Walk

This is NOT the sad, drowned in a swamp of sadness post I have been teasing on twitter, it is however something. And its a review of the rather good film, the Walk. So lets review this thing. 

To be honest, I was exited for this movie. Robert Zemechis, Joseph Gordon-Lewitt, the 70's. All things I like, and found out, are not the main-point of the film. Rather, The charcter of Philippe Petit, the Frenceiest guy you can find, whom decides one day to walk accross the then uncompleted Twin towers. The movie then is divided into three clearly definable segments, or acts, if you will: the first is a traditional French film, stylized, colourfull, shot in a certain way (the french way) and it really reminded me of the works of Jaques Tati, who pioneered movie-making. The second act is the longest one, playing out like a heist-movie, with its tensity so thick you could slice it up and serve it on a piece of baquette, you really feel like things could go wrong. The third part is the "climax", most films have one, for exeptions, see the first half of any book-movie divided into two parts. No spoilers here so lets move on.

The style; as said, it shifts like loose cargo on a finnish train, but it fits the setting and feelings the characters go through, the beginning is like a dream, almost surreal, for when things are going well, the middle is dark and tense to reflect the stress and uneasyness. And the end is realistic to grasp the *gravity* of the situation. No? Moving on! The cinematography is unbeliavably beautiful, making things look either realistic, tense or surreal, whatever the scene needs, and the direction of Zemeckis is flawless as always, expect the same kind of Oscar-material as in Forrest Gump. The score is nothing special but you dont notice it being bad either. The cast is comprised mainly of Hobbit-rejects, seeing as how everyone seems to have the physiqye of a 12-year-old. Maybe thats just me since I am a 6'2'' sentient muscle. 

Since pointing out differences between an adaptation of a book based on a true story and real life seem to be a thing around here nowadays, heres some of them: Petit walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge before WTC, he took reference photos with a helicopter. Those and at least three other things that actually happened were absent from the film. Cinema was born in France, so it makes sence that one of the best films I've seen this year is set there.