My quick rating – 5.4/10. Mother Nature 1, two dumb guys 0. That’s how Fall 2: Deadpoint kicks things off, with a man making his way across an old wooden bridge bolted to the side of a mountain, while another bloke behind him helpfully encourages him along with a gun. Unfortunately for both of them, Mother Nature has other plans, and gravity decides to get involved. I’m sure we’ll be seeing that bridge again later.
Cut to the fallout from the first Fall movie, which I thoroughly enjoyed back in 2022. As expected, the story of two women stranded atop a ridiculously tall radio tower attracted plenty of attention. Now we meet Shiloh’s sister Jax (Harriet Slater), who is packing away her deceased sister’s belongings with her friend Luce (Arsema Thomas). Naturally, this leads to the brilliant idea of ticking off some of Shiloh’s bucket list, which apparently consists of things that would make most sensible people reconsider their life choices.
Off they head to Bangkok, Thailand, for some gorgeous scenery and an adventure involving Mount Kwan. The premise is simple enough. Two climbers become trapped thousands of feet above the ground, with vertigo-inducing heights, sheer exposure and increasingly ridiculous odds standing between them and survival.
The problem? The whole setup is pretty damn stupid. They fly halfway around the world without apparently doing much research into the route or the climb they’re about to attempt. After watching the pair make their way towards the infamous plank walk, which we already caught a glimpse of in the opening, I’m thinking there isn’t enough money in the world to get me up there. The directors, Michael and Peter Spierig, certainly know how to make the most of it, constantly showing those wooden planks bouncing around like they’re auditioning for a trampoline competition. If you’ve seen the first movie, you already know this isn’t going to end with everyone enjoying a nice cup of tea.
Unfortunately, while the tension is there, the characters don’t quite deliver. The filmmakers attempt to manufacture some drama between the two friends while they’re stranded on the cliffside, but it never really clicked for me. The original felt considerably more authentic, from the performances to the setting. A radio tower also made for a much more convincing nightmare than a tourist attraction, no matter how many times this movie reminds us that their little excursion is supposedly illegal.
And just when you think these girls couldn’t possibly make any more questionable decisions, they find new ways to surprise you. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say Shiloh would have known all along, and Jax’s apparent failure to acknowledge that raises a few questions.
There’s also a little sequel bait thrown in for good measure, which isn’t particularly surprising.
Fall 2: Deadpoint is definitely a step down from its predecessor, lacking some of the authenticity and character-driven tension that made the original work so well. Still, the scenery is spectacular, CGI or not, and the heights are suitably terrifying, and there’s enough ridiculous survival drama to keep things entertaining.
Not as good as the first, but a solid popcorn flick that passes the time. Just maybe do some research before attempting your next bucket-list adventure. And use your brains before pissing off the bad guys.
