Fall – A Generic Survival Thriller With Strong Technical Elements

The majority of one-location survival films take place in either the ocean, the jungle or the desert, taking advantage of the vastness of those landscapes and preying on audiences fears of getting lost to the point of no return. Fall is a film that takes a slightly  different approach, exploring an even more universal fear: the fear of heights. Regardless of how far thrill seekers push themselves to conquer that fear, whether it be through riding roller coasters, claiming mountains or participating in aerial sports, they can take comfort in knowing that after a burst of adrenaline, they’ll be back on ground level. The film proposes every thrill seekers worst fear: what if they got stuck 2,000 feet in the air with seemingly no way back down?

Fall sees Currey star as Becky, a former thrill seeker who becomes a recluse after witnessing a horrific accident during a mountain climbing trip in which her beloved husband fell to his untimely death. After a year of shutting her loved ones out of her life and drinking her sorrows away at the local bar, she is contacted by her best friend and former climbing partner Hunter (Gardener), who also witnessed the accident. Hunter convinces Becky to accompany her in climbing the fourth tallest free standing structure in the U.S., an abandoned water tower in a remote area. After building up the courage, the two climb 2,000 feet. However, when they reach the top, they realize the unstable ladder that they used to climb the tower, had fallen to the ground.

From a storytelling standpoint, Fall is a run-of-the-mill survival film that slips into B-movie territory far too often. The main conflict between the two leads is half-baked, gets resolved far too easily, and is visible from a mile away. Many of the central events that take place are there solely to beef up the film’s minimalist premise, and don’t serve any purpose beyond that. It ultimately requires a suspension of disbelief from audiences, as it can get quite ridiculous at times, including sequences that are not at all realistic.

Despite major storytelling and screenplay issues that deteriorate the quality of the film, Fall is still worth watching for its technical elements alone. Director Scott Man does a great job at making the most out of a paper thin premise, and creating tension through thrilling cinematography and sound design. The aforementioned tower itself is a terrifying sight to behold as the film propels audiences to the very top with a 360º view of the world below. The scenes involving climbing or the characters strategizing how to survive are exhilarating. However, the dialogue-driven sequences that involve human drama drag the film down.

In the end, Fall is a mixed bag that works more as a thrilling simulator than a film. It’s filled to the brim with the same soapy drama and poor writing that many b-movie survival flicks in this vein typically contain. That being said, its impressive technical elements and immersive atmosphere elevate it and make it worth a watch in spite of that.

still courtesy of Lionsgate

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Tristan French