Fall - A Movie Review

Life is all about taking on challenges - just not dangerous ones.

Landing in theaters in 2022, Fall is a story about two best friends who climb a 2,000-foot B67 tower. Making it to the top, their luck falls short when the ladder rips away leaving Becky and Hunter stranded.

Fall is the type of film where, once it ends, all the muscles you’ve been clenching release. Operating on similar perilous disaster film tropes, Fall was a lot darker than expected, Never give up in the most difficult of situations.

Put to the ultimate test, both physically and mentally, Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner were astounding. The girls had to be on their feet every second, estimating all possible survival scenarios.

Gardner was a notable standout. Hunter’s zest for adventure is both an incredible and stubborn aspect of her character. Her fierce attitude was too much, not giving Becky a say in the matter. I can’t get over how strong Hunter is, holding herself up with only one arm.

Focusing on the dynamic between the girls, they created a fun friendship. They’re easily likable characters. There was never a dull moment. I liked how they made jokes, taking their minds off the stress. The way they supported one another was sweet.

Boy, does this film do an excellent job of pumping your adrenaline. Bolts rattling on the ladder, the immense altitude, and the dangerous decisions these girls made were all recorded. Camera work was engaging, studying a variety of angles from faraway distances. I felt vertigo. Scott Mann eagerly focused on both camera techniques and story elements.

Fall is one of those films where you’re yelling advice at the movie screen. It wasn’t that bad compared to other films where the characters are ignorant of the situation. Sometimes I didn’t agree with the girl's decisions, like taking off their shoes or lowering a phone down on a rope. Then again, you have to do anything for survival.

I want to know more about where and how this film was shot. Green screen effects, specifically the rock climbing scene at the beginning of the film, are noticeable but for the most part, the girls actually look like they’re climbing an extremely tall tower. The majority of filming took place in the Mojave Desert.

According to Mann, most of the film was shot as realistically as possible. Cinematography is incredible. The overall pacing was fine but there were some story elements that did not need to be included.

The whole storyline involving Dan (Mason Gooding) was only to assemble tension and unneeded drama. There’s already enough going on. We don’t know his character enough to really care about him. In fact, his storyline drew the film out.

Becky’s father (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) could have been cut or deserved a larger role. This whole film is about the girl’s friendship so this other relationship drama took away from it.

My jaw dropped at the reveal of one plot element. It was hidden well, but thinking back, I caught one blaring instance that foreshadowed clues. The ending was a bit rushed, skipping a major conclusion I would have liked to have seen.

Anyone with a fear of heights should not see Fall. Believe me, with the dangerously high altitude tracked in each shot, my stomach felt like it dropped looking down. This film is so nerve-wracking that I was tapping my hand on the seat.

It was darker than anticipated but it was well worth the adventure. I highly recommend that you see Fall, preferably in theaters while it is still out.