“Fall” An Intense, Adrenaline-Fueled Thrill Ride

In the 2022 movie “Fall,” for best friends Becky and Hunter, life is all about conquering fears and pushing limits. But after they climb 2,000 feet to the top of a remote, abandoned radio tower, they find themselves estranged with no way down.

Now Becky and Hunter’s expert climbing skills will be up to the ultimate test as thy desperately fight to survive the elements, a lack of supplies and vertigo-inducing heights in this adrenaline-fueled thriller.

While the survival thriller “Fall” relies heavily on some melodrama and a few questionable character choices, it became a sleeper hit - primarily on streaming - because it executed its core high-concept premise with relentless tension.

The primary draw for this movie is the intense, stomach-churning vertigo moments that will really make you feel like you’re up there with the characters. The movie’s cinematography relies heavily on wide angle, vertigo-inducing overhead shots that constantly emphasize the 2,000 feet of empty space beneath the characters. I’m sure there’s a major difference between watching those shots on TV and the big screen. Even hearing the wind and the creaking metal bolts of the tower structure can add to the tension.

One thing I really enjoyed is the movie’s reliance on practical visual effects over CGI. To sell the illusion, the production built a 100 foot tower set on top of a mountain cliff in Shadow Mountain, California where the lead actresses performed on the real platform. And, honestly, if the production used numerous green screens (which can be too obvious), it would easily take you out of the movie.

Building on the survival tension in “Fall,” the movie delivers some really intense set pieces that really stand out. The inciting incident that sets the tone for the entire movie is when Becky climbs the final stretch of the rusted tower and as we see the bolts snap one by one, the entire ladder crashes down, which we get to see from their point of view.

While “Fall” has several other moments that will really leave you on the very edge of your seat, the most discussed narrative comes late in the third act during the intense climax and a twist that really reshapes everything that has been happening (and, of course, I

won’t be spoiling the twist for those who haven’t seen the movie).

The 2022 survival thriller “Fall” received generally positive reviews from critics and moviegoers, and has been praised for its height-induced terror and strong lead performances, despite some criticism for its script and occasional digital effects. An upcoming stand-alone sequel will be theatrically released in September.

MPA: Rated PG-13 for bloody images, intense peril, and strong language   (running time 107 minutes)

Initial release date: August 12, 2022

Streaming: Netflix/various PVOD services (as of working on this review)

https://youtu.be/iSspRSGc4Dk?si=WHB76FLVN76vI-Xd

• The filmmakers had considered green screen or digital sets, but ultimately opted for the real thing. They decided to build the upper portion of the tower on top of a mountain so that the actors would really appear to be thousands of feet in the air, even though in real life they were never more than a 100 feet (30 meters) off the ground.

• The two lead actresses did the bulk of their own stunts.

• According to director Scott Mann, a smaller-scale version of the real 2000-ft B67 TV Tower was built by the same company that built the original B67 tower. Sections were rebuilt on the plateau of a 2000-ft cliff in the Shadow Mountains of the Mojave Desert so that filming occurred at the height of the actual TV tower.

• The 2000 ft B67 TV Tower that Becky and Hunter climb is a real television tower. According to the director, the film was based on the KXTV/KOVR radio tower that is also known as the Sacramento Joint Venture Tower. It is a guyed communication tower in Walnut Grove, California. Many base jumpers throughout the years have illegally trespassed on the property and have climbed the tower in order to jump off and parachute to the ground. Also the Walnut Grove's location has made it the site of a rare collection of very tall radio and television transmission towers. The KXTV/KOVR radio tower is 2,049 ft (625 m). Likewise the imaginary TV tower depicted in the film is also claimed to be above 2,000 feet tall according to Hunter.

• The film's original dialogue, which included over 30 F-bombs, was dubbed out to make this an MPAA PG-13 film once Lionsgate picked up the distribution rights. This was done using an artificial intelligence dubbing technology system that alters onscreen mouth movements. It was later released uncut on Blu-ray in the UK.

• After production finished, Lionsgate Films acquired the film's distribution rights without a minimum guarantee for the producers. After it did well in test screenings, Lionsgate decided to release it in theaters.