In the wake of Free Solo and Fall comes Skywalkers: A Love Story by directors Jeff Zimbalist (Crush, How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer) and Maria Bukhonina. This daring and nail-biting documentary wants to reach the same heights (both literally and figuratively speaking) of its mentioned predecessors, but can this story about two adrenaline junkies unlawfully climbing unimaginable high buildings for a few likes achieve this goal? Yes and no.
Definitely, yes, visually-wise. The documentary follows two daredevils, Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, who both gained fame as extraordinary rooftoppers. Because of their risky but fascinating job, they take you to unseen heights, resulting in edgy and enthralling visuals. The adrenaline-pumped story is breathtaking because of the clever usage of gripping drone shots, engrossing pictures, and footage shot from the usual camera point of view when the couple’s back on the ground. The documentary oozes a ‘push-pull vibe ‘, especially when the leads are taking on their next building. You want to look away because the sense of danger and the heights become too much, but you also want to watch how Angela and Ivan scale the building and the enthralling footage of their stunt. The last half hour is electrifying, showing us the heights this documentary could have reached.
The main reason this work can’t be that electrifying throughout its 100-minute runtime is the insincere and self-centred feel hanging above this work. We all know that rooftopping comes with incredible dangers, but that’s something the filmmakers brush under the carpet almost instantly. Yes, they mention that people lose their lives every year in the name of fame, but then they swiftly introduce us to Angela and Ivan, without ever delving deeper into the risks of rooftopping or skywalking as they like to call it.
After you learn more about Angela and her circus performing parents’ impact on her job and Ivan and his lust for adrenaline that comes with climbing, the documentary entirely focuses on their latest stunt: Conquering Malaysia’s Merdeka 118. Against the backdrop of the couple’s love story and the stunning skyscrapers, the hyper-stylized cinematography by Renato Borrayo Serrano (Life of Ivanna) shows the audience the couple’s planning how they will conquer the heights and execute a spectacular acrobatic routine about 2000 feet in the air.
While the focus on this wild stunt and the couple’s previous astonishing achievements results in undeniably magnificent visuals, the intrigue and uniqueness of the story don’t come to fruition fully because of the scripted action, dialogues, and soundbites from the main characters. Angela and Ivan clearly want to use this documentary to gain more attention, resulting in a portrayal of rooftopping that feels too shallow and fabricated. Throughout this work, Angela is highly candid about why she risks life-changing injuries and even her life. It’s all for the attention, fame, and the money from the sponsors. While the intentions of Ivan seem much more genuine – especially because he hasn’t lost touch with reality and the dangers attached to what he does – even his storyline is full of cringy one-liners and too self-centred moments. You even wonder whether the couple’s relationship is sincere or curated for more “followers” and “likes.
A massive part of the story is also to inspire people and show them how to overcome challenges and pursue their dreams. Sadly, because of the artificial storytelling, the documentary does everything but inspire. If there were a much more grounded (no pun intended) approach, the audience would get a much more insightful and inspiring look into rooftopping.
While the documentary consists of truly breathtaking takes rarely seen in film, the story itself is too scripted for it to be truly authentic. Instead of being an eye-opening work about the love for rooftopping and the dangers attached to this daredevilish job, Skywalkers: A Love Story feels like a commercial for the leading characters in a bit to gain more followers and fame.
Skywalkers: A Love Story is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix
Instead of being an eye-opening work about the love for rooftopping and the dangers attached to this daredevilish job, Skywalkers: A Love Story feels like a commercial for the leading characters in a bit to gain more followers and fame.
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Freelancer by day. Film journalist by night.
