Those who are scared of heights may be familiar with the phrase "whatever you do, don't look down." However, users can do exactly this without the fear of falling thanks to The Walk VR Experience App that was released today for iOS and Android.
Created by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, this virtual reality app allows the viewer to see what legendary French high-wire artist Philippe Petit saw when he most famously walked along a wire in between the Twin Towers in New York City in 1974.
The app essentially promotes Robert Zemeckis' film The Walk about the real-life events of Petit, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, that is now available as digital and two-disc Blu-ray 3D combo packs. The app features the film's trailer, along with both virtual reality and 360-degree video experiences. That means users who do not have a headset such as Merge VR Goggles or Google Cardboard can still experience what it would have looked like to cross the wire above the New York City skyline from Petit's perspective.
Users can also tap on the "get a headset" tab to purchase Merge VR Goggles for a discounted price of $99.99.
However, those who have a VR headset will be able get a more realistic feel of Petit's brave journey 94 stories in air while their feet are still firmly planted on the ground.
It's recommended that the viewer use headphones in order to hear the monologue better, and then insert their smartphone into the VR headset. The experience starts with a short video montage from the movie to set up the storyline. Then, the user is standing on the edge of the building with pole in hands and can step out onto the wire.
"All I could see was the wire floating out into a straight line into infinity, and if i were to shift my weight, I could become a wire walker," Gordon-Levitt says.
Throughout the experience, the user truly feels like they are walking across and have the ability to look down, left and right to take in the breathtaking views. While I am no stranger to the virtual reality experience, I must say that this app does make you feel a bit queasy by the time you complete the short journey across. However, this may be a testament to just how realistic the experience is.
"I feel something that maybe I never truly felt before," Gordon-Levitt says as the user makes the final steps. "First, I salute the wire, and the towers, then I salute the great city of New York."
You can't help but feel accomplished once you know that your virtual feet have be planted on the top of the building. It's definitely an experience worth checking out, and enables the viewer to get a taste of the thrill-seeking adventure Petit successfully executed.
The Walk VR Experience App is available to download for free for iOS and Android.
The Walk is directed by Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis and written by Robert Zemeckis & Christopher Browne. Rated PG, The Walk is now available on Blu-ray/DVD.
