Those who prefer not to put themselves in harm’s way needlessly must look at those who do and wonder: “What pushes a person to risk their life for a cool photo opportunity?” Yet, we are often drawn to watch those who do what we otherwise consider the unthinkable. If you’re a person who prefers viewing death-defying risks from the comfort of their couch, then you’ll enjoy director Jeff Zimbalist’s new documentary, Skywalkers: A Love Story.
In this case, the death-defying stunts take the form of rooftopping, which is where people climb to the tops of high buildings or spaces in cities where they ordinarily aren’t supposed to be. The film centers on Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, who found internet fame by risking their lives climbing buildings – initially solo – before connecting with each other. Together, they are determined to illegally scale one of the tallest buildings, to then be immortalized in a video and some photographs.
This film feels like Free Solo (2018) meets Man on Wire (2008) – and those are two great documentaries with which to be compared. Like Free Solo, the visuals that are captured are absolutely breathtaking. Angela and Ivan’s risks allow for views that would otherwise be unseen by the majority of people. The drone work in those moments allows for some compelling visuals, and a Michael Bay-like rotating camera. What is missing in this documentary is the meta elements of the filmmaking process from Zimbalist and his crew. It left me very curious as to who was operating the drones, and from where, because often we only see Ivan and Angela – however, they typically don’t appear to be operating the cameras in those moments. There are several POV Go-Pro camera shots to help capture their illegal maneuvering to get to the heights they are attempting to gain.
While Man on Wire also focuses on someone risking their life for a stunt, this film shares the heist planning element that is at the heart of both documentaries. Each film takes the time to witness these real-life risk-takers planning how they’ll execute their biggest stunt. The subjects are taking a huge risk not only with their lives, but with their freedom, as the thing they are attempting is not sanctioned, and they aren’t allowed to be where they are planning on ending up. This creates great dramatic tension in the film and with the people at its center. Not only are we worried we may witness a horrific injury or an incredible accomplishment, but we have to wait to see if they’ll even be able to get a chance to try. This is the kind of documentary that’s made for people who say they don’t like documentaries because it feels much more like a fictional narrative for those whose biggest risk is driving to work.
As if the stunning camera work and compelling drama weren’t enough, this film manages to have a captivating love story. We witness the two decide to team up and gradually begin to fall for each other. That’s not a spoiler, because the film starts at the end before jumping back to show us exactly how they got into the position we initially found them in. Their journey to that cold open is a fascinating one, full of risks and loving gestures. A phrase that Ivan utters before it cuts to the beginning of their romantic journey to look in the face of death implies that this couple isn’t currently in the best state. It becomes the movie’s job to make us care about the future of their relationship, and their well-being. To me, it succeeds in doing this completely.
Skywalkers: A Love Story deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible, as the images of vast cityscapes from their highest peaks would be rewarding to the viewers. Fortunately, the overall story and the subjects of it are so compelling that it’ll hold your interest even on the smallest screen. If you’re concerned about a documentary holding your interest, this one should manage to hook you early on.
Skywalkers: A Love Story will be streaming on Netflix on July 19.
Rating: 4.5/5
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