Fall Review from Lionsgate Films!

Never has a film made me feel so uneasy and uncomfortable while watching as Fall did. You can mix all the August Underground series, A Serbian Film, American Guinea Pig series, Lucifer Valentine, Marian Dora, White Gardenia, Tetro Video releases, etcetera, and my anxiety will never act up like it did with Fall. All underground film edgelords will no doubt scoff and snicker at the notion as they admire their neck/face tats and pussy hole stretched ear lobes. Fall preys on the fear of heights technically known as Acrophobia. 

For those that have a fear of heights I urge you not to watch Fall unless you want to challenge yourself. On the other hand, if you love the thrill of being scared (the main reason anyone watches a horror/thriller in the first place), then by all means proceed but prepare to be uncomfortable. I foolishly dove into the film without much apprehension and the payoff was worth it. 

Director Scott Mann (Heist) develops tension with some great camera angles and shots provided by cinematographer MacGregor, propelling the overall effectiveness of the viewer putting them right there where the terror ensues. Much like films such as 37 Meters Down or Open Water did with fear of being stranded in the ocean or what Frozen did with skiers getting stuck on a chair lift, Fall delivers in the same vein. Fall is not a classic film in the sense it will be remembered for its acting or plot but more so it’s delivery of the subject matter in such an intense fashion. 

Like most movies you need a story to facilitate the subject matter even if it’s mediocre and not overly engaging. In this case Fall tells the story of Becky played by Grace Caroline Currey (Shazam!) and her friend Hunter played by Virginia Gardener (Halloween 2018). Both girls have had a falling out since the  intro scene. In that scene, Becky’s husband Dan played by Mason Gooding falls to his death during a harrowing free hand rock climbing expedition. 

Becky’s life has taken a drastic downward spiral into alcoholism with no turning back. Her father James played by Negan (The Walking Dead) himself Jeffery Dean Morgan is obviously concerned and tries to console her by saying her now dead partner wasn’t the one for her!? Morgan is in it a couple times so it’s a brief but little better than a cameo role. 

It’s approaching on the anniversary of Dan’s death and Hunter appears in Becky’s life again. Hunter has a plan to increase her likes on social media by climbing a soul shattering high up abandoned radio tower in the desert. Hunter decides to drag Becky along for the adventure. Apprehensive, after all she has been through, she accepts. 

The two friends scale the rusted structure, all the while bolts and pieces of it crumble beneath their fingertips. Even the vultures eventually begin circling and attacking but it was my loose knowledge vultures didn’t prey on the living. The climb has a bunch of sweaty palm and tingling sensation in my feet moments that really had me uncomfortable and squirming in my seat. You get plenty of slips, broken ladder rung misses, looking down from the high up elevation scenes that will put pressure on the fears of those uncomfortable with heights. 

I understand this is a movie and the tower was built on a film set and not actually 2000 feet in the air. When I watch real life social media personalities climb construction cranes without safely gear and then hang off it freely with only one arm, I personally can’t comprehend it. I understand it’s to feel alive and for the thrill, but they are putting themselves in unnecessary danger. It is all a part of the challenge I guess, and it makes for entertaining videos to watch from the safely of my own home. 

I enjoyed Fall and despite its shortcomings, lack of logic, and questionable scenarios, at the end of the day it entertained me and kept me engaged for the most part. I see critics picking away at the climbing aspects which I personally know nothing about and there are some scenes you kinda say to yourself “that will never work or that’s impossible” but the lapses in logic can be overlooked in my opinion much the same as any standard Hollywood action movie offering.

Fall has a couple of plot twists that keep things moving along but I did find myself drifting off a bit during the non-climbing scenes. Fall is an anxiety-inducing white-knuckle ride and is worth checking out. It manages to grip a hold of you especially if you’re scared of heights, you will be in for quite the experience if you are.

AKA: Vértigo, A Queda, Pad, Πτώση, 命懸2000呎, Tlou’ya Ba’Avir, FALL／フォール, Svaiginantis aukštis, Nie patrz w dół, Vertigem Mortal, Вышка, 墜, Над безоднею, Cú Rơi Tử Thần

Directed by: Scott Mann
Written by: Jonathan Frank, Scott Mann
Produced by: David Haring, James Harris, Mark Lane, Scott Mann, Christian Mercuri, Ashley Waldron
Cinematography by: MacGregor
Editing by: Robert Hall
Cast: Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Mason Gooding, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jasper Cole, Darrell Dennis, Bamm Ericsen, Julia Pace Mitchell
Year: 2022
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 47min

Studio: Tea Shop Productions, Capstone Studios
Distributor: Lionsgate Films