The force is not strong in “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” a superficial “Man on Wire” for social media influencers about a pair of Russian daredevils who surreptitiously scale urban heights to reach the precious treasure of a beloved Instagram post.
There is a new tension in the exciting relationship of Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, a couple from Moscow who bicker on skyscrapers as others would at the supermarket checkout. But in this polished, self-promotional documentary, few of their interactions feel self-consciously calculated for public consumption.
“Skywalkers: A Love Story,” which debuts Friday on Netflix, comes with an ominous warning: “This film contains extremely dangerous and illegal activities. Don’t try to imitate.”
Of course, the same could have been said before the worm riding of “Dune: Part Two” or much of what goes on in “Cocaine Bear.” But in the case of “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” the warning label feels justified. Nikolau and Beerkus each have a background in athletics (Nikolau was an acrobat). But there isn’t much that makes them “roof toppers”, except that one day they started climbing cranes and haven’t looked back since.
“Skywalkers,” directed by Jeff Zimbalist and co-directed by Maria Bukhonina, follows Nikolau and Beerkus through a relationship that begins with an invitation to climb something in China. Beerkus, the more experienced of the two, is looking for a new angle to appeal to his sponsors. As they continue to travel the world together, their social media fame grows. Soon they’re in love too, and their kissing photos high on the skylines only add to their viral numbers. They claim to strive for ‘art’, but the images they create look more like screensavers.
They learned some useful tips along the way. Never stay at the summit for more than 15 minutes – a lesson they picked up after their stop at Notre Dame caused a stir. They usually sneak into sites under construction by pretending to be workers. The way up can be difficult. On the way down they notice that no one ever asks them questions.
The big mission of “Skywalkers” is their attempt to roof the Merdeka super skyscraper in Malaysia, which proves to be a particularly daunting task. In this way, the film is structured in the same way as a large number of other documentaries, especially James Marsh’s ‘Man on Wire’, about Philippe Petit’s tightrope stunt between the Twin Towers in 1974.
But “Skywalkers” has none of the romance of “Man on Wire,” a film that’s as much about its poignant location as its daring protagonist. We also never get a much deeper sense of Nikolau or Beerkus; even their most personal interactions feel scripted. There is also something less poetic about their daily activities: auctioning an NFT in Kuala Lumpur or trying to get “a drone guy” on the phone. For more modern high-altitude majesty, return to Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s “Free Solo,” about Alex Honnold’s ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite.
Just as Petit was driven by his passion for the Twin Towers, Honnold’s motivation came from a reverence for El Capitan. As crazy as their climbs may be, you couldn’t doubt their genuine enthusiasm. The object of real admiration in “Skywalkers,” however, might be a selfie stick.
“Skywalkers: A Love Story,” a Netflix release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for its language. Playing time: 100 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
