The Walk

A solid biopic about a man who was not afraid to take risks and push the limits of his abilities to achieve the almost impossible, thus fulfilling a long-held dream. The film has plenty of breathtaking and spacey scenes, making it an unforgettable experience in a 3D cinema screening. The cast was likable (especially Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Charlotte Le Bon), the script was laced with a bit of with and humor, and the plot so I never got bored. In short, a film that's definitely worth watching in the cinema just for the feeling of being high and free in the clouds. (04/07/2016)

The scenes on the wire are incredible, and the highlight of the film is truly the transition between the towers of the World Trade Center. At times, I felt dizzy, and I haven't even seen the movie in IMAX. However, just as there are amazing moments in terms of special effects, there are also horrors, such as the terrible accents of American actors and the predictability of the story, which is essentially a boring plot that only wins because of how unwavering human will is and what it can accomplish. (21/12/2015)

Paradoxically, Zemeckis exaggerates it with that elegance on a rope. Petit's high jinks are staged openly as a theater / myth - the protagonist's personality is a stepping stone to an eccentric expedition to a place where there is no death, only "splendor" and everything is dominated by the avantgarde pose of the artist as an acrobat, a man who is not afraid of the abyss, because death is only about not inviting the depths to a duel. It's simple and naive, but in defense of the film, let it be said that this is exactly what it is aiming to be. The regression into Petit's childhood is Burtonian poetic (and unfortunately quite exaggerated), the very performance of the magnificent "coup" is again stylized as an exuberant and exciting heist. Apart from Gravity, the moments on the rope are quite possibly the most significant thing you will experience at IMAX. Unfortunately, in time, everything else is flat, very flowery, and emotionally completely barren. The only perception that really exists in this film is the dizzying depth underfoot. Everything else is just an epic narrated shallowness, streams of lightly spoken words of the exhibiting principal (Robert and Joseph), their funny exuberant "accent", which unfortunately do not help the drama very much.*** 1/2. P.S. I'm looking forward to the analyses of the neo-formalist wing - the film seems to really want it. (29/09/2015)

Zemeckis is a master of extraordinary human stories like this, because it takes a lot of skill and dexterity to cut out such an entertaining, well-thought-out and life-beating story puzzle from a colourless sketch with a single dramatic arc. Thanks to the humorous journey with many imaginative interludes, we fully connect with Levitt and his hero, accept his life values and root for his bringing his crazy plan to a successful end, even though such a happy ending cannot be doubted for a moment. And when the camera slides gracefully from the top of the World Trade Center into the silent depths of acrophobia, we almost feel the enormous power of the moment with the hero. There are flaws, and I personally regret that we don't actually get a chance to genuinely worry about Petit's life, but that doesn't change the fact that as an unorthodox celebration of human will and courage, the film works perhaps as well as it ever could... 85% (17/12/2015)

In Rush, it doesn't really matter which character you sympathise with, because you understand the attitudes, opinions and motivations of both, they just take different paths. With Man on a Rope, you sympathise with no one, or rather you don't understand the motivations of the main or secondary characters (comparissons are warranted given the strong will of the protagonists to prove "something" at any cost). Thus, the viewer cannot get into them and finds them completely flat and uninteresting. With the film's concept and cheap means of expression (for today's times), Robert Zemeckis is stuck somewhere 20 years back, only he didn't understand that times are moving inexorably forward and there have been plenty of attempts like this, though in a less visually sophisticated way. So much untapped acting potential (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley), and so many unnecessarily obvious screenwriting crutches and underdevelopment – the biggest failure of A-list Hollywood this year. Forrest Gump was heartfelt, this may be just about heartfelt for the Yanks, but for the normally minded viewer it's just a showcase for effects masters. Otherwise it's a load of bullshit, unnecessary tears and pathos. (10/10/2015)