Released: 3rd March 2023 (Netflix)
Length: 107 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Scott Mann
Starring: Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Mason Gooding and Jeffery Dean Morgan
The sense of danger when making isolated thrillers is crucial to success with many productions taking a simple approach. After a relatively small theatrical release in the US, Fall has arrived on Netflix; for a film of small size and scale, it makes a solid impression on the viewer.
Climbing aficionados Beckie Connor (Grace Caroline Currey) and Shiloh Hunter (Virginia Gardner) are keen to conquer the most difficult challenges, but scaling one cliff range proves lethal. Following a brief yet harrowing opening, Becky falls into a spiral of depression, pushing away her father James (Jeffery Dean Morgan) before eventually being tempted into another massive ascent by her best friend. Their goal sits at the top of the B-67 TV tower, two thousand feet above ground in the middle in the desert. What starts as a simple challenge turns into a desperate struggle as the women are trapped on the tall structure; with vultures circling and no way to climb down, Becky and Hunter are forced to improvise and seek rescue. The film doesn’t waste any time getting to the TV tower and once we’re up there, the same sense of isolation and growing hopelessness translates well. Injuries pile on, resources are depleted and all told the film delivers exactly what it sets out to do with only a couple of outlandish moments. The central narrative boasts enough unpredictable turns to keep your palms sweating.
The cast is extremely small and despite the characters being painted with a modern brush, any superficial tendencies or corny lines are pushed to the side-lines quickly. At first Hunter climbs the tower for personal gain, aiming to impress her social media fans, but this vanity disappears as the situation grows worse and options slowly run out. Becky is filled with grief and trauma with Grace Caroline Currey doing a great job of selling her biggest fears. Isolated from everyone else, Becky and Hunter peel back their personal motivations and secrets, pulling the audience into their predicament. This results in a well-baked twist in the second act that raises the stakes further, though the film’s straightforward plot does limit the amount of character depth. Jeffery Dean Morgan is the biggest example of missed potential; after James and Becky have a heated argument, we rarely see him until the film’s conclusion. There could have been more development of their bond to further build the audience attachment.
For the most part Fall takes place in a single location and despite a low budget, it makes the effort to create an effective setup. A real tower, placed hundreds of feet in the air, was constructed for the film and this serves a solid base for the ensuing tension. Many aerial and overhead shots really get across the enormous height of the main set-piece and we are given a clear view of the tower’s sections, which leads into the steps taken to call for help. Of course, everything else is very minimalistic as the characters are limited to their phones and a remote-controlled drone alongside a small supply of water. Whether it’s reaching down to grab a bag of supplies or precariously balancing on a satellite dish, Fall lays on a sequence of suspenseful moments that will result in The music is echoing and atmospheric, matching the isolation of the setting. It rises and falls to match the desperation, especially when the two leads are dangling from a single rope.
I was very surprised by Fall, a production that takes an incredibly simple premise and squeezes out every last drop of suspense. You do have to suspend your disbelief at points and the character bonds could have been deeper, but this survival drama succeeds at raising pulses through strong central performances and the many tools put to good use on the tower.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)
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