Review: Man on Wire

Man on Wire

OPENING DATE: 07/25/2008

STUDIO: Magnolia Pictures

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

The Charge
Incredibly risky. Highly illegal. Definitely crazy.

Opening Statement
Chances are you haven’t heard of Man On Wire or what it’s about. The critics are virtually unanimous about its greatness, with Rotten Tomatoes currently holding a score of 100% based on ninety-two reviews! This is a film which is not only screaming to be seen, but its impact will be appreciated more on the big screen.

Facts Of The Case
On the morning of August 7, 1974, a Frenchman named Philippe Petit was arrested at the World Trade Center. A revered magician and wire-walking artist, Petit challenged himself to cross from one tower to the other on a wire. Although it took hours to get past security and rig the wire properly (and securely), when he walked out on it, looking 1350 feet below, he felt like he was walking on clouds. He laid down on the wire, ran on it, held a beam in both hands while crossing it. What’s more, he went back and forth eight times, over the course of 45 minutes, before being forced by police to surrender.

The Evidence
When I walked into the theater, I sat in the front row. After five minutes, my jaw slowly dropped. After nearly fifteen, my eyes widened. It must have been halfway through that the bag of popcorn I was holding fell onto the ground, uncompromising my attention. By the end of Man On Wire, I had a single tear rolling down my left cheek. In short, this was one of the best theatrical experiences of my life; I was moved, riveted, enchanted, exhilarated, blown away… I could keep going, but you get the idea.

A documentary about a most unusual man with a most unique mission, Man On Wire is equal parts heist movie and inspirational drama. There are moments of wonderful humor as well, but never going to excess. You could complain the man is insane, but you cannot deny his beautiful talent. While Petit is interviewed, he is contagiously exciting and high spirited. To this day, even he (and his partners in crime) still cannot believe he pulled off what sounds like the impossible.

Among others featured, we meet the woman who Petit fell in love with (and married) in the early 1970s, while doing street shows in Paris. There is an Australian man who became Petit’s key conspirator behind a wirewalk on the Sydney Harbor Bridge, which almost immediately followed a stint at Notre Dame. Of course, there are also his American friends on the inside, one of which actually worked at the Towers during its construction. Ever since Petit read about the Towers in a magazine at a dentist’s office, he knew it was something he wanted to conquer. It was just a matter of time; this was to be his destiny, planned as his greatest achievement.

Much of the film is devoted to Petit’s penetration of the World Trade Center and how he managed to get all the required equipment transported to both roofs while dodging tight security. Director James Marsh remarkably ties together archival material (in the form of photographs and grainy video footage) with newly shot, monochrome “flashbacks.” While it sounds uneven and jarring, its execution is surprisingly seamless. At times, you have no idea what was archived or what was re-constructed, but it shouldn’t matter. The point is you are pulled in, constantly interested in Petit’s brilliant plan, and never stop to think about the way in which the film was assembled.

Man On Wire is the type of film which reminds people that cinema is an artform, and can be exploited as such, while also being incredibly entertaining. The eyes and ears will be under complete control, dazzled by the wonder and vision of this man and his dream. Plus, while it’s indeed difficult to not think about the World Trade Center’s eventual destruction, the film only vindicates how it will live (and never be forgotten) in the American consciousness. A wild, over-the-top Frenchman made history at the top of the towers, a feat which will never happen again. In a way, this was Petit’s personal salute to and appreciation for magnificent architecture.

Man On Wire was a genuine surprise at Sundance this year, nabbing the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the World Cinema competition. An Oscar nomination seems inevitable but also a little scary; recall that Errol Morris’ superb The Thin Blue Line (which successfully exonerated a man off Death Row) was rejected because of its scripted overtones, suggesting it was fictional in nature. Could the Academy deem the “re-enactments” as fictional material? Hopefully not. Man On Wire deserves all the accolades it can possibly receive, especially for Michael Nyman’s gentle, but powerfully poignant piano score which illuminates the proceedings at every angle.

Closing Statement
In 1983, a glorious non-narrative film known only as Koyaanisqatsi was released. To some, the film was really nothing more than a visual collage of vistas, while to others it held a much deeper meaning for the clash of humanity and technology. Regardless, the only real way to experience it was to see it in a dark theater on the big screen, and you would be lucky to catch it anytime soon. Waiting to see Man On Wire on DVD wouldn’t be exactly ruining its impact, but instead truly limiting it. Take my advice: Find a theater it’s playing at and sit in the front row, as you will never forget it. (Tissues optional.)

The Verdict

10/10

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