Fall: Fear Reaches New Heights

This movie was rather hard to watch, not because of the direction or acting, but just because of the sheer intensity of the story. It's not for the weak of heart. I wanted to look away several times rather than see what was going to happen. It's a pretty decent film, just know that if you're squeamish or acrophobic at all, you're probably going to be on the edge of your seat the whole time, probably not feeling too comfortable at times.

Swap down for up, water for air, scuba gear for climbing gear, sharks for a pair of vultures and voila you have another harrowing story of survival. Hardly original but to be honest it's decently executed. The acting is solid and you genuinely feel like this film was shot 2000 feet above ground. Make no mistake it is uncomfortable. The camera work fully engaged the butterflies in my stomach and properly connected me with actors sense of fear and excitement. Not necessarily the edge of my seat stuff but I was along for the ride. While I haven't given this film a particularly high rating it definitely deserves a watch.

I really don't have a fear of heights, but this film sure made me realize that I just wasn't high enough to get scared. Co-writer, producer and director Scott Mann did a superb job filming this smart little thriller so well, I got vertigo, dizzy and an upset stomach in some scenes. Don't get me started on my constant anxiety and elevated blood pressure watching this. It's constant edge of your seat moments with great cinematography and special effects, that you'll actually feel like you're stuck up there with them.

The writing was tight and cohesive with excellent character development that helped in the suspenseful scenes. The few twists and turns were well led up-to and perfectly executed, albeit somewhat predictable. The 107 min runtime flew by with the spot-on pacing. Casting and performances were convincing all around.

My biggest issue was the poor sound editing; towards the end, the score is so loud and overbearing, it muffles the actors dialogue. Aside from that and a few plot and technical issues, this is one of the better survival films I've seen in a long time. It's a well deserved 8/10 from me.

How this is technologically impressive is one thing. A worthy combination of computer generated images and the real thing. The soundtrack also does not fail. But that's all the package. What matters the most is what's beneath the surface, the contents. Pain and fear of death making someone rediscover their will to live after a personal tragedy. Also, altering their perception of reality, removing idealism, to be more exact. Also, when things go far enough, the plot may surprise the audience. Of course, there can be criticism. There could probably have been fewer shots with the blinding Sun in them. The heroines could have been a bit more resourceful here and there, and they could have been tested even more. But the action takes place in a hot desert and sunlight is a big problem there. No wander the movie gives it strong emphasis. And in a situation like what the movie has, it is way more difficult to think as clear as possible than, say, at home, in comfort. And as for what the main characters go through, especially with the performances delivered, "Fall" works just fine.

If you come into this expecting something really stupid and campy, it actually better than you think. I was surprised at how good the acting is and how genuinely terrifying it was to watch. It had a good pace and makes your heart pound with fear so it basically does its job as a suspenseful thriller. There are interesting twists, even if they are somewhat predictable. It does a lot with what was a small budget and lesser known actors. Yes, it's dumb they climb the tower, yes, you can get hung up on that, but bottom line, it's entertaining.

If you expect a phenomenal Oscar worthy movie, go somewhere else, but if you're looking for movie that genuinely makes you face your fear of heights, this is the movie for you.