After a vertigo-inducing sheer-face rock climb that recalls the opening of Vertical Limit and ends just as horribly, one year later the two estranged friends climb up a decommissioned 2,000-feet-tall radio tower in the middle of the desert and get stuck at the top. If you think the ascent is nerve-shredding, the disaster-filled attempts to descend equally has moments to panic the viewer as rusty ladders collapse and the duo have only 50 feet of usable rope. Similar to 127 Hours and The Shallows, this movie pits human(s) against the elements and challenges their resolve and ingenuity in a battle to survive. The effects work is mostly satisfactory for the budget, and there are occasional moments of real peril that are handled very effectively, even if a few more of those would have been welcome, as the film does get rather talky in the mid-section. Largely a two-hander, both actresses deliver capably and complement each other well. The ending feels rather rushed and a bit of a cheat on the viewer, but overall Fall uses and delivers its high concept quite well for its budget.
No comments:
Post a Comment