Fall - Review 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

IT MAY lack much in the way of common sense or genuine surprise but survival thriller Fall is an effectively tense offering that follows in the footsteps of films like Open Water and ski-lift chiller Frozen.

Opening with a Cliffhanger inspired climbing tragedy, the film sees leading lady Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) suffer a devastating loss when her husband Dan (Mason Gooding) falls to his death.

A year later, Becky is struggling to cope and suicidal, to the dismay of her loving dad (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, appearing all too fleetingly), as well as best friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner) - who also witnessed the tragedy.

Hunter has since become a successful YouTuber specialising in extreme stunts and she bids to save Becky by encouraging her to confront her fear and join her on an audacious climb to the top of a 2,000ft tower in the middle of the desert.

The two subsequently make it to the top but find themselves stranded when the ladder falls away and effectively cuts them off from the world - mobile phone reception is zero, rope is too short and even their drone requires a battery top up.

The ensuing film chronicles their attempt to survive while reminiscing about their trauma, which extends to a deception involving Hunter that places extra strain on their relationship as they attempt to survive.

On a narrative basis, Fall leaves a lot to be desired given that much of the storyline feels contrived and obvious - with several early attempts to get help set for obvious failure, while even the supposed twists feel signposted or derived from similarly themed movies.

But where Fall comes into its own is in its direction and cinematography, which kind of make a mockery of the $3m budget.

British director Scott Mann and Spanish cinematographer MacGregor work overtime to create both a sustained tension that never allows you to relax and some mind-boggling shots that are likely to induce a genuine fear of heights.

The film is incredibly well shot, with images that are as dizzying as they are occasionally beautiful. There’s a certain sense of awe at sequences involving clouds, sunrises and sunsets.

The performances, too, are pretty committed with both Currey and Gardner creating a believable friendship and some nice tension. They make the most of a limited script.

The overall result is a film that, while certainly generic, offers up the required thrills and spectacle to be worthy of its sleeper hit status. It should also raise the profile of the creative team behind it.

Certificate: 15

Running time: 1hr 47mins