Movie · 2015 · History, Drama, Adventure · 2h 3m · PG · English
Curator score: 4.7/10 (244.9K ratings)
Every dream begins with a single step
Overview
The story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit's attempt to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.7/10
IMDb: 7.3/10
Letterboxd: 3.35/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 70
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
Robert Zemeckis
Production
TriStar Pictures, LStar Capital, ImageMovers
Cast
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Clément Sibony, César Domboy, Benedict Samuel, Ben Schwartz, Steve Valentine, Mark Camacho, Sergio Di Zio, Kwasi Songui, Melantha Blackthorne, Jason Blicker, Larry Day, Karl Graboshas, Daniel Harroch, Guillaume Baillargeon, Émilie Leclerc, Mark Trafford
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, old-school crowd-pleaser built around one spectacular sequence. It’s strongest as a technical and sensory experience, with Zemeckis turning a true stunt into a nerve-jangling cinematic set piece, but the first two acts can feel overexplained and a little corny.
Best for
viewers who like inspirational true stories
fans of suspenseful set-piece filmmaking
people who enjoy polished 3D spectacle
audiences open to sentimental, showman-style storytelling
Skip if
you want a lean, realistic biopic
you dislike heavy narration or broad humor
you are sensitive to vertigo or height-based tension
you prefer grounded drama over stylized filmmaking
Overview
The Walk is less interested in being a conventional biopic than in recreating the feeling of audacity. Robert Zemeckis treats Philippe Petit’s stunt like a magic trick, a heist, and a dare all at once, and the result is often more playful than reverent. That approach gives the film a real charge when it’s building toward the crossing itself.
Worth noting
The movie’s biggest asset is its final stretch, which is genuinely thrilling and uses scale, perspective, and digital effects with real confidence. Joseph Gordon-Levitt leans into the performance with enough charm and theatricality to match the material, even if the accent and narration can be distracting. The supporting material around the plan is serviceable, but not as memorable as the feat it’s setting up.
Bottom line
As a piece of cinema, it’s a bit uneven; as a controlled exercise in suspense and wonder, it works. If you’re in the mood for an earnest, slightly corny, technically ambitious crowd-pleaser, it delivers. If you want a tighter drama, it may feel like a long runway to one great payoff.
Top Letterboxd reviews
callum (4.5★) · 510 likes
joseph gordon levitt with blue contacts was scarier than the thought of walking across the twin towers
JustStopYT (3.5★) · 434 likes
Can't believe they rebuilt the twin towers for this
Matt Singer (4.5★) · 349 likes
Bad title. Bad posters. Great movie.
Much more on the film, and why it represents an act of madness akin to walking between the Twin Towers, here: screencrush.com/the-walk-imax-3d-theatrical-movies/
SilentDawn (4.5★) · 269 likes
*previously a 79, now an 86*
The greatest superman story ever? Zemeckis wants to bring movie magic back into the world, and this story of passion and elegance makes the case that a little whimsy and good ole fashioned tenderness is just what we need. Could do without the narration during the wire walk sequence, but the structure seemed more fluid and jazzy on this rewatch, aiding the connective tissue of the film as a whole. With heavenly usage of 3D and CG elements, The Walk should be known as one of the best films from 2015. Too bad no one went out to see it.
SilentDawn (4.5★) · 199 likes
86
This is some real cornball shit but it's Zemeckis so it's technically astounding and the final third still takes my breath away. Slow fade out during the final shot - gorgeous.
2019 · Drama, Action, History · 2h 33m · PG-13 · Curator 8.4/10 (1.5M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A crowd-pleasing real-life challenge story with strong momentum and technical precision.
Topics
biographical drama, adventure, suspense, inspirational, 1970s, heist-like planning, aerial danger, 3D spectacle, urban landmark, showman tone