In 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit embarked on an incredible challenge: crossing the space between the two towers of the World Trade Center on a wire. Behind the camera, the director of “Forrest Gump” revisits this story on Prime Video.
Passionate about tightrope walking since a young age and lover of thrills, French artist Philippe Petit never shrinks from new challenges. While he plans to survey the heights of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, he is looking for a final feat to achieve to definitively enter History.
It was in a dentist’s waiting room, while he was casually leafing through a magazine, that he began to glimpse the outlines of his greatest feat by observing the photograph of the World Trade Center in New York. His decision is made, and his entire existence will henceforth be dedicated to the realization of this dream: stretching a cable above the void, between the two twin towers, 417 meters above the ground, and walking on it.
An extraordinary true story
Yes – because this is obviously the first question we ask ourselves when hearing about this extraordinary adventure – The Walk is indeed adapted from a true story! That of the French artist and acrobat Philippe Petit who, in 1974, crossed the space which separated the twin towers on foot, moving on a wire.
Told like a real heist film (since the entire operation of the artist and his team was of course carried out in the strictest illegality), this atypical biopic released in 2015 benefits – beyond its incredible pitch – from the talent of its main performer Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but also and above all the know-how of its director.
2015 Sony Pictures Releasing GmbH
Avoid if you are afraid of heights!
Known for his ingenuity in terms of storytelling, it is in fact Robert Zemeckis, notably famous for having directed the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump, who directs this breathtaking show breath.
Stunning and literally dizzying, The Walk is therefore absolutely to be avoided if you are at all afraid of heights: our colleagues, who tested the virtual reality experience around the release of the film, can attest to this!
Otherwise, and if you enjoy the adrenaline rush, we strongly recommend that you venture to walk on this unforgettable wire (without looking down)!
(Re)discover our report on “The Walk” experience…