Man on Wire - B-

On DVD. Rated PG, 94 minutes. Trailer.

Director James Marsh's Man on Wire is a documentary about Frenchman Phillipe Petit's unauthorized tightrope walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. Using a combination of archival footage, present day interviews and re-enactments, the story is presented in a 'real crime' drama presentation like you would see on Court TV. Given all of the critical laurels the film has received this year, I was expecting something transcendental. Um, not quite. Click below for more on MOW:

Petit was a well known Parisian street magician and 'wire walker' when he pulled his first stunt, walking between Notre Dame's towers. The fame he gained and the experience and response of the people who saw it led him to conquer a bridge in Sydney and to his coup de grace, the Twin Towers. There is something undeniably fascinating about someone seemingly floating in the air so high, and in proximity to such landmarks. The filmmakers rely on this for the impact of the film, and it comes and goes, but not enough to make the film anything more than just kind of interesting. The images are amazing, but they don't add up to a good film.

The feat itself is captivating, but the 'suspense' of the clandestine activities leading up to it was very boring and the re-enactments were too close to the aforementioned Court TV to be effective. Plus, I didn't care for the 'age of aquarius' French countryside practice sessions.

There is something emotional about the 'space' between the Twin Towers. Petit's walking was made that much more fleeting when the Towers fell. There is lots of archival footage of the construction of the towers and it is eery to see the famous steel spires being hoisted up instead being a mangled mess. The attacks are not mentioned at all in the film, but their existence adds a level of gravity to the film and Petit's act. As the group plots their deed, it is eerily similar to the way a terrorist group would be inspired by the Towers and plan for such an event.