Fall (2022)

The stakes are at an all-time high in Scott Mann's new film Fall which takes place 2,000 feet up in the air where two young women find themselves trapped on top of the world's largest radio tower and open to the elements. This little overlooked movie has a ton of thrills, sweat-inducing suspense, and a decent story to round out all the action with some great performances from its two leads and a good cameo from Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The film works on multiple levels with its high intensity, but one could only imagine how fast someone's heart would beat watching this in an IMAX theater, let alone in a home setup.

Mann's previous films have shown he knows how to shoot suspenseful action with big named actors. With Heist and Final Score under his belt, it's nice to see Mann take a much simpler approach but up the thrills high in the sky. There's no Dave Bautista like in his previous two films but Morgan does show up again as his daughter and her estranged best friend who is known for going on crazy vacations similar to the women in The Descent head to an abandoned radio tower which is considered to be the tallest man-made tower in the United States.

This radio tower isn't in tip-top shape and looks like it hasn't been serviced or used in decades. The sandy plains in the middle of nowhere have decayed it a little, but that's not going to stop Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) and her best friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner) from climbing the tower to check that box off their thrill-seeking list. These women are not your stereotypical idiotic backpackers. They come prepared and with knowledge of how to climb and perhaps survive the worst of fates. Their only real hiccup is to actually climb this 2,000-foot tower without telling anyone or notifying anybody about it.

The climb at first seems easy enough sans the whole height issue, but the further the girls get up, the more rickety the structure becomes. They eventually make their way to the top where there is a rusty grate for a floor about the size of a pizza box where they can take their selfies and take in the scenery, which is where the ladder below them falls 2,000 feet to the ground, leaving them trapped and exposed to vultures, wind and weather without anything to hold on to. And being in the middle of nowhere with no phone signal adds to the stress and intensity.

Mann not only uses these scary elements of their physical surroundings for terror but also utilizes a backstory between the estranged friends to draw on some tension and even some inspiration for survival, which works out well here. None of it seems forced but plays out in a natural way, even when some of the action sequences seem a little far-fetched, which comes to play in a big way near the end of the film, which is its M. Night Shyamalan twist. The performances are all stellar from everyone here and the camera techniques used to literally turn your stomach upside down with some insane views from high in the air are just as breathtaking as they are frightening.

Those who may turn their noses up at a film like this will more likely than not greatly appreciate the film even more so once it's revealed that almost the entire film was shot practically with the actors legitimately being high in the air filming their scenes. It's a wild ride, and Fall is one of those films that will cause the blood pressure to skyrocket and cover your eyes.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-rays
Fall rises to Blu-ray + Digital via Lionsgate. The disc is housed inside a hard blue, plastic case with a cardboard sleeve. The artwork features a cliffhanging image of the two women hanging on for dear life. There is an insert for a digital code.

Fall comes with a good 1080p HD transfer that does its job well. A 4K release would have improved on some of the issues encountered here though. The color palette is rich with bright blue skies that contrast very well with the sandy, rusty plains surrounding the metal tower. There are hints of small green plants here and there, but the main primary color pops come from the two women's wardrobe choices and a little bit of blood. Nighttime sequences don't always give way to the inkiest of black levels but they're decent enough. The detail is vivid and sharp, revealing beads of sweat, facial pores, individual hairs, wounds, and even the tiniest bits of first and scratches along the tower. Skin tones are also natural. There is some heavy banding with his image throughout, which can be distracting at times, but other than that, there are no other problems.

This release comes with a lossless DTS-HD A 5.1 audio track that allows for the high-altitude surround speakers to breathe. The sound effects are loud, but there aren't a ton of big sonic moments as there shouldn't be. most of the sound effects are supplied by clanks on the metal tower, varying wind gusts, storms, and those nasty vultures. The low end of bass comes to the playground when the wind kicks in or the score hit those low notes of dread. Other than that, there aren't a lot of basses since there are no real explosions or gunshots here. Just a few vehicles passing by and a drone that is used perfectly. The dialogue is clean, clear, easy to follow along with, and free of any issues.

There are only about 23 minutes of bonus materials here plus a commentary. track from the director and producer. The behind-the-scenes featurette is top-notch and gives a ton of respect for this film and how it was made.

• Audio Commentary - Director Scott Mann and producer James Harris deliver a fun and informative commentary track that talks about making the film practically, their amazing performers, and a ton of the difficulties they had with the real natural elements during the shoot.
• Fall: The Making Of (HD, 16 Mins.) - A great look at how they made the film, which consisted of constructing a 100-foot tall tower and having the actors go up there and make the film. It was intense, grueling, and a ton of fun. This is a wonderful watch.
• Music Video (HD, 4 Mins.) - Madison Beer's song I Have Never Felt So Alive has a music video, and here it is.
• Trailer (HD, 3 Mins.) - Trailer for the film.

Fall is an overlooked film that will surprise many and horrify tons of people with its non-stop thrills that will have everyone covering their eyes and stomachs up in their throats for the duration of the film. The 1080p HD picture looks good and the DTS-HD 5.1 audio mix sounds great. The bonus features may be sparse, but they are definitely worth it. Highly Recommended!