The Fall

The Fall made its way through the film festival circuit during 2006 and 2007. It finally recieved a limited US release in the spring of 08. There was very little buzz about this film and it recieved very modest accolades. However, when my good friend and highly respected movie critic, Justin Newsome named The Fall his top film of 2008, I had to see it.

Acting: (7) An unknown Lee Pace was an interesting choice for the lead. While he handled emotional hospital scenes quite well, the fantasy action sequences were really a stretch. Whether it was an artistic choice or folly, he appeared almost comical as the "Blue Bandit." The little girl added a great deal of depth and reality to the film. She obviously struggled with English and her lines. However, Pace played off her so naturally that her stutters and repeats flowed like natural conversation.

Audio / Visual: (9) There can be no debate that the film's visuals are astonishing. During the fantasy sequences, the screen is filled with wide landscapes, elaborate sets, and choreograhped movements that are quite enchanting. Tarsem's vision and imagination are the stars of this film. In fact, the film's visuals could actually be criticized for overpowering both the characters and the complex story. The only complaint I would raise involves the costumes of the bandits. Again, I'm not sure whether this was intentional or not, but the costumes reminded me of a low budget community theatre play.

Plot: (8.5) There is really a lot going on in this film. There are so many stories within the story. Tarsem skillfully weaves the story of the stunt man and the young girl together through the telling of the epic revenge saga. The film runs the risk of becoming muddled and confusing when it attempts to fuse storylines occuring in both the fantasy and real world simultaneously. By the end of the film the stories have all been told fairly well. If you're able to avoid being distracted by the events happening on the screen, you may actually be able to follow each of them.

Entertainment: (8) This film would have been engaging as a silent movie. The visuals are that powerful. The stories (all of them) are worth a listen. I always tend to give extra credit to original, bind benders, as is the case with The Fall.

Overall: (8) - Very Good