A mesmerizing, suspenseful tale about stealing glory
BY COLIN ENQUISTMan on Wire is the Academy Award winning documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film sets out to account Philippe Petit’s daring high wire walk, 1350 feet in the air, between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Based on Petit’s book, To Reach the Clouds, that has been re-released with the new title Man on Wire. Using re-enactments, present day interviews with all the participants, still photographs of the walk and rare footage from Petit’s home movies, Marsh crafts the tale into a suspense laden heist film.
Archival footage of Petit training is impressive, not only his feats, but showing his ability to focus on what he wants, to walk between the Twin Towers. Through this footage we see that Petit and his group of friends have managed to build a wire the exact length that will be required for his walk between the towers. As Petit takes his first steps, you can see it is eyes that walking on this wire is not good enough, in rehearsals he gets his friends to pull on the wire in unsystematic ways to recreate the strong wings that will thrash the wire when over 1300 feet in the air. Was it his sheer determination that causes him to stay on the wire, or his talented ability? In his mind, Petit knows, it is not impossible. His only problem now is getting on top of the towers.
Spending months, Petit and his co-conspirators prepared for the walk, casing the tower was only part of what was needed to be done. After they managed to figure all the ins and outs they went about acquiring forged IDs to walk into the building, only then could they smuggle the necessary equipment up to the top of the towers for Petit’s great endeavour. Dramatic recreations of each groups attempt to set the equipment up without being caught was enthralling and were benefited from having Petit re-tell the story like he was really still trapped under the tarp, hiding from security, waiting for his moment.Petit is so passionate, with his English accent flaunting on screen, that if Marsh chose only to use interview footage it would still be an enthralling film. Now in his 50s, Petit still has the flair of a showman. It is intriguing to see what drove the man, how much focus was needed to complete his masterpiece as he walks, dances and plays on the wire for 45 minutes between the Twin Towers.
I can see why this film is the highest rated film ever on Rotten Tomatoes. The human drama this film creates if unexpectedly emotionally overwhelming. Unforeseen complications create heart pounding moments even though we already know how the story ends. Man on Wire catches the microscopic details essential to pulling off the caper and director James Marsh’s precise direction makes this film a thrilling 95 minutes.
5 out of 5
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I was gonna rent this one a few weeks ago, but I ended up with something else instead. I heard it's supposed to pretty damn good though. I will have to check it out sometime.
ReplyDeleteNaturally I bought it, well actually, it was bought for me. So next time you are over just grab it.
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