In the 1970s, a nimble young Frenchman decided to sneak to the top of the World Trade Center, string a wire across the two towers and walk from one skyscraper to the other.

“Man on Wire” is the story of that man and his dream of conquering the ultimate tightrope challenge.

Philippe Petit started balancing on wire as a teenager growing up in Paris. In one of his first illegal stunts, he traversed a wire across the Notre Dame church. Eventually, he came upon the twin towers in a newspaper, and they so inspired him that he began to dream of crossing them. He couldn’t explain why; he just wanted the challenge.

At 1,368 feet tall, the twin towers of the World Trade Center were certainly nothing less than daunting. Yet to Petit, they were a tightrope walker’s fantasy. And so he began training, with help from his friends, many of whom probably thought he was at least a little bit crazy.

If there’s one word that describes this film, it’s unbelievable. The feats are absolutely incredible to behold; that an actual human being carried them out is beyond extraordinary. Besides the awe of seeing a man do the unthinkable, the film also has a lot of heart. The bonds of the people who worked together to make Petit’s dream come true are interesting.

“Man on Wire” has two main plots. There’s the back story leading up to the tightrope walk, shown with archival footage that shows Petit and others training rigorously for the big event, and then there’s the plot to make it to the top of the towers, told in reenactments. Throughout the whole production, interviews with Petit and his crew offer perspective and move the story forward.

The movie is tense; like a true heist film, watching Petit and his team carry out their plot to get to the top of the towers is thrilling. What makes the whole thing stranger than a heist, though, is that there isn’t any measurable reward to what they’re doing. Petit and his friends make it all that way, sneaking past security guards, sometimes sitting and waiting for hours on end, just so Petit can set up a wire and walk two buildings. Two very large, very high buildings.

In the summer of 1974, Petit’s walk was completed, totally unauthorized, while the finishing touches of the buildings were being constructed. He became a celebrity overnight, and rightfully so. Most people know the story. Learning how the movie ends, though, is only a tiny part of the movie, and does nothing to diminish its effect. The tension and build-up, all leading up to the finale, all give the story legendary status.

For all of its focus on the World Trade Center, “Man on Wire” doesn’t make any mention of the September 11 attacks that demolished the towers. In a way, however, it’s absolutely as worthy a tribute to the structures as any.

“Man on Wire” is an inspiring film; heartfelt, exciting and downright scary sometimes, but rewarding if only to further realize what the human mind is capable of.