Fall
47 Meters Down goes 2,000 feet up for this conventional white-knuckler.
High and dry: Grace Fulton and Virginia Gardner
The 2017 survival film 47 Meters Down saw Mandy Moore and Claire Holt trapped at the bottom of shark-infested waters with precious little oxygen. The unrelated sequel 47 Meters Down: Uncaged was unleashed two years later, starring blind cave-dwelling sharks and the daughters of Jamie Foxx and Sylvester Stallone. Continuing their trend of young women surviving B-movies, producers James Harris and Mark Lane wring out the H2O, taking the plot to new heights in Fall.
On a downward spiral after the sudden death of her husband, Becky (Grace Fulton) is persuaded to return to the world of climbing with a nudge from best friend Hunter, a successful social media daredevil with the busty moniker ‘Danger D’ (Virginia Gardner). Hunter’s next Instaworthy feat is the rusted B67 TV Tower; a 2,000 foot structure in the middle of nowhere that was once the tallest in the US. With little water and zero food, the girls bypass the ‘No Trespassing. Danger of Death’ warning and begin their long ascent up the corroded ladder.
Fall’s running time soars well beyond the tight 90 minutes of 47 Meters Down and its follow-up. Sustaining a single predicament to feature length is difficult enough and the excess weighs heavy here. Opening on the girls blazing down the dusty road toward the menacing tower, Warrant's ‘Cherry Pie’ blaring on the radio, would have shortened the run time and enhanced the thrills. Once the obligatory setup passes, director Scott Mann is able to ratchet up the suspense with ominous shots of looming vultures and loosened bolts.
Largely filmed on a 60-foot tower atop a sheer cliff in the Mojave desert, Fall boasts stunning footage from cinematographer MacGregor. Yet a number of budget-constricted CGI shots heavily detract from the tension, recalling cringeworthy computer-generated ghosts from film history’s past. Some behind-the-scenes wizardry that isn’t as obvious is the nascent tech Flawless AI, which director Mann reportedly used to dub out some 30 f-bombs in order to obtain a more box-office friendly classification. Despite its flaws, Fulton and Gardner give it their all, helping to ground the tall tale in some sense of reality. If the suspense of wuthering heights is what you seek, Fall certainly fulfils. Just be ready to suspend your disbelief from 2,000 feet.
CHAD KENNERK
Cast: Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner, Mason Gooding, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jasper Cole, Darrell Dennis, Julia Pace Mitchell.
Dir Scott Mann, Pro Christian Mercuri, James Harris, Mark Lane, Scott Mann and David Haring, Screenplay Scott Mann and Jonathan Frank, Ph Miguel 'MacGregor' Olaso, Pro Des Scott Daniel, Ed Rob Hall, Music Tim Despic, Costumes Lisa Catalina, Sound David Barber and Alex Joseph.
Tea Shop Productions/Capstone Pictures-Signature Entertainment.
106 mins. USA/UK. 2022. US Rel: 12 August 2022. UK Rel: 2 September 2022. Cert. 15.
Thank you to Metropolitan Theatres
