REVIEW: Fall

By Natalee O.

In Airport High School, most or even all students fear something. Maybe they fear heights , rejection, or  presenting in front of a bunch of students. One movie that defines how we should conquer our fears is Fall, and that's why this is my favorite movie and the reason why  I'm writing this article-- to bring awareness that we should evince our  fears and to praise how well this message is presented in the film.  

Before I dive into my opinion, however, a plot summary needs to be provided.  Two best friends climbed a 2,000 foot abandoned radio tower to see a great view but what ended up being a bad day and nightmare trying to survive in midair where no help could be reached. The film was released in 2022 .The main characters in the movie were Virgina Gardner and Grace Caroline Currey . Two best friends Hunter and Becky were always all about pushing limits and conquering fears until they climbed a 2000 foot radio tower. The reason behind this was for Becky to cope with her husband's loss. They put their surviving skills to the test.

In my opinion, Fall is a great movie for several reasons, three of which are discussed below. 

To begin with, one of my favorite reasons why I love this movie is how the actors show their talent by expressing their acting skills and  switching  emotions quickly , creating tension and expressing their feelings through indirect facial expressions that make each scene real. I also like how the makeup artist does each actor's makeup to make it seem real   . For example, in one intense scene Becky quickly realizes what is happening  and acts quickly to retrieve  her backpack  full of supplies showing determination . Another scene was when Becky in the beginning of the film showed her fun and adventurous character but then switched to a depressed person  so I love how the film directors put everything in order and did her makeup so perfect to match each scene . 

Moreover, I like this movie because there is a plot twist towards the end. Becky the whole time was hallucinating the entire time  her best friend Hunter had already died , everything she experienced was in her  imagination. Becky was experiencing a psychological breakdown , and it was up to her to survive on her own 

In addition ,  I loved this movie because  I can see what the movie is trying to teach us which is  conquering our fears like Becky’s journey of climbing  the tower showed how overcame her deepest fear ,  which I think will be good for people who are still struggling on their own with  their own fears    . The movie  also reminds us to live life to the  fullest, as the two best friends did before the death of her husband, and at the same time it also taught us that we have to be cautious when exploring new places. Lastly, friendship was shown in the movie because the two best friends were going through something hard and one of the friends also revealed that she liked Becky’s husband which adds betrayal and is more intense . 

So far , I have been giving my thoughts on the movie Fall. I asked my fellow classmates and teacher how they felt about the movie. Here's what they had to say . 

Ashley G., is currently a senior and is a  thriller fan. She loves intense cinematic movies. Ashley is my friend we met in middle school. I asked her for opinion about the movie because I know she watches these types of movies like Fall. And this is what she said , “I totally agree with you Natalee . I have seen the movie and it shows how she is conquering her fears . Overall I can relate to this movie because I also have fears”

Mrs. Warner., a teacher at Airport High School who currently teaches business Law and fundamentals of computing . .She is an excellent educator  and I was able to get her opinion and  she said ,  “ I liked Fall because it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not ~ it’s simple, intense, and honestly nerve-wracking in the best way. The whole setup of two friends climbing that massive, isolated tower pulled me in right away, and once things went wrong, I couldn’t look away. The movie does a great job of mixing real, physical fear with emotional pressure: grief, betrayal, trust, and the way people push themselves when they feel lost or stuck in life. I liked that it wasn’t just about surviving the height, but surviving everything they were dealing with inside. The tension feels real, the visuals are wild, and the story has enough heart to make you actually care what happens ~ even when a few choices make you want to yell at the screen. It’s the kind of movie that keeps your stomach tight and your mind busy at the same time, and that’s why it stuck with me.” 

A  member of The Canadian Crew, which purports to be a film/video/audio/art blog, named Jorge Igancio Castillo, said, “Fall is at its best when dealing with the challenges of being stuck In the middle of nowhere and no help in sight. Everything that could possibly go wrong does, and the fact the protagonists are mildly competent makes every complication more plausible. The film also succeeds at recreating vertigo (susceptible audiences beware).”   Castillo said it also brings out a question on the character what ifs, meaning this can raise questions of tension for example  what if they faced another terrible situation .  .Overall, Castillo rates it  2.5/5 because it suffers from weak dialogue , unrealistic plot and overall writing that is poorly structured  . 

Allison Rose, a Senior Correspondent and Critic at FlickDirect said, “If you're the type of person who likes to get their hearts pumped up then the movie Fall is best for you “ She explains that Becky and Hunter climbed the tower because Becky was depressed and  isolated herself  because of her husband's death . She also said , “Surrey and Gardner were well cast and brought some genuine fear to the big (and now small) screen.” Rose mentioned some CGI background shots looked fake. Fall is a heavy thriller with strong acting . 

Overall , I give the movie 9 out of 10 stars. I would recommend it  to people who enjoy thriller movies because it's full of  excitement and suspense and the other reasons described herein. This is the kind of movie that can make you yell at the tv . This movie can be seen for free with ads on Tubi , Hoopla and Fawesome .