A sensory spectacle - ****1/2

Teasers of this movie intrigued me, not knowing what it was about and wondering why the movie is even offered in 3D imax format.  Then I was even more intrigued when I found out what the story is about and wondered how a simple story like this could be made interesting. There was really nothing else to do to satisfy my curiosity but to watch it in the imax theatre and that made all the difference.

The movie is a dramatization of the life of Philippe Petit leading up to  his famous high wire walk across the the towers of the World Trade Center.  It mentions how his career started in France and how a failed first public performance led him to aspire for more meaningful performances in the future.  His desire led him to cross the towers of Notre Dame and finally the towers of the World Trade Center.

Back in 1974 the World Trade Center was still being built and is nearing completion.  The challenge for Philippe and his team of accomplices is how to set up the wire without getting caught..  They executed their plan with much delay and as history would mention, the walk was a success.

This movie succeeds on a lot of different levels.  It succeeds at telling the story through clever editing and inventive points of view.  It succeeds at taking the viewers through a journey from Philippe's childhood up to the titular walk.  It succeeds at engaging the viewers in a sensory trip as well through visuals and sounds.  It takes you up with him on his walk, step upon every step up on the wire where it feels more like you were in the sky than on top across two buildings.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has outdone himself , mastering his french and his tight walk training under Mr. Petit himself. He interprets a nicer version of what history considers an almost maniacal Philippe Petit.  And though he definitely sets the pace being the narrator of the movie and the lead of the story, he is well supported by Ben Kinglsey, Charlotte Le Bon, Clement Sibomy and James Badge Dale.

Though up front this movie seems like a modern retelling of a true story that happened in 1974, what really strikes me in the end prior to closing credits is that this may also be a tribute to once  was the grandeur that is the World Trade Center and then you are saddened that it is no longer there.  Watch this film on 3D imax and get the feeling of being up the there, realistically and totally edge of the seat thrilling.