Rated: M
Directed by: Scott Mann
Written by: Scott Mann, Jonathan Frank
Produced by: Christian Mercuri, James Harris, Mark Lane, Scott Mann, David Haring
Cinematography: Miguel ‘MacGregor’ Olaso
Starring: Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Mason Gooding.
‘No trespassing. Danger of death.’
Let me start by saying, I’m scared of heights.
So from the opening scene of vertical views down onto rock-climbers hanging onto cliffs and leaping for another hold. My heart was pumping from the get-go.
And it didn’t stop.
Fall is relentless in ratcheting up the tension, truly, edge-of-seat viewing.
But there’s cheese.
Adrenaline junkies, Becky (Grace Caroline Currey), hubby, Dan (Mason Gooding) and best buddy, Hunter (Virginia Gardner) push their limits together.
Seemingly unstoppable, until the worst happens, leaving Bec devastated. And her dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) concerned she’ll never snap out of her deepening grief.
It’s when Bec looks like she can’t go on, best buddy, she’s-my-cherry-pie, Hunter has the cure: climbing an abandoned radio tower via a rusty ladder, 2000ft into the air.
Time to tame fear, ‘And kick it’s arse.’
Cue the strings in the soundtrack. Cringe.
Up to this point, I wasn’t convinced I was going to get into this movie, I’d just be on edge because of that insane height, standing on a pancake platform, Bec and Hunter about to fall any second.
Then those rusty bolts started rattling.
The camera work here pushes that feeling of vertigo and the thought of falling is always there as the girls hang off the edge of the tower to take selfies.
There’s a lot from Hunter’s online persona, Danger D and #LifeOverDeath moments.
But this, ‘kick fear in the dick,’ mentality gradually won me over – you get the vibe though, a bit twee.
Then the shots widen, pushing the sky into the background of these crazy climbers as the bolts start to fall and I’m gripping the arms of the chair.
It just keeps pushing that tension to the point I was thankful for some of the cheesy drama of the story.
It’s not ALL tension; there’s some room to breathe.
But wow not much.
Be prepared for a bracing thrill and some unexpected moments in this intense survival film: worth seeing on the big screen.