Jonathan Sim
There is something inherently terrifying about watching someone stand hundreds of feet above the ground with nothing between them and certain death. The original Fall understood that fear and built an entire movie around it, turning a simple survival premise into an unexpectedly effective exercise in vertigo. Fall 2: Deadpoint follows a very similar blueprint, but rather than simply repeating the first film, it finds an interesting way to connect its story to what came before while still functioning as a standalone thriller.
The basic setup is familiar. Two young women travel to a dangerous location to attempt an extreme feat that they probably should not be attempting in the first place. One is enthusiastic about the challenge, while the other is considerably more hesitant, especially because she has recently lost someone close to her in a thrill-seeking disaster. Eventually, the two become trapped in an impossibly precarious situation and have to use their wits to survive. There is even a midpoint revelation that fundamentally changes the dynamic between the characters. Structurally, it is very much the same movie.
Fortunately, Deadpoint understands why this formula worked the first time. Jax Hunter, played by Harriet Slater, is the film’s protagonist and the sister of Shiloh, one of the central characters from the first movie. Shiloh was a thrill-seeker, whereas Jax never shared her sister’s appetite for danger. Through flashbacks, the film gives us glimpses into their relationship and the complicated feelings Jax carries with her. This connection to the original film is one of the sequel’s most interesting ideas. Rather than simply introducing two completely unrelated characters and putting them in another tower-like death trap, Deadpoint explores how the events of the first film affected someone who was left behind.
Jax’s companion, Luce (Arsema Thomas), is the more enthusiastic of the two and is determined to conquer a treacherous plank walk on Mount Kwan in Thailand. Their friendship, however, is not nearly as compelling as the relationship between the leads in the first Fall. The chemistry between the two characters works well enough, but there is a noticeable emotional gap that makes some of the film’s more dramatic developments less effective.
That becomes particularly apparent when the movie reaches its midpoint twist. Like the first film, Deadpoint uses a revelation to completely change how we view the characters and their situation. It is an interesting idea, but it does not land with quite the same impact as the original’s twist. The first Fall managed to make its revelation feel both shocking and deeply consequential to the relationship at the center of the story. Here, the twist doesn’t fundamentally reshape the movie in quite the same way.
Still, the Fall movies work because they understand that the fear of heights does much of the heavy lifting. Once Jax and Luce are stranded, the movie repeatedly puts them in situations that are difficult to watch even when you know they are fictional. Every movement becomes dangerous. Every attempt to find a solution creates another opportunity for something to go horribly wrong. The movie gets a lot of mileage out of simply placing its characters in increasingly precarious positions and forcing them to think their way out.
There is also an interesting moral complication to these movies. You have to accept that the protagonists make some absolutely terrible decisions. They voluntarily put themselves in extreme danger, meaning it can occasionally be difficult to feel completely sympathetic once everything goes wrong. They essentially signed themselves up for this nightmare. But the films compensate for that by focusing on the humanity of their characters. Once the adrenaline wears off and the reality of their situation sets in, we see their fear, regret, grief, and desperation. The question becomes less about why they made such a stupid decision and more about whether they can live with the consequences.
Deadpoint delivers several genuinely thrilling sequences and does a good job of balancing its survival mechanics with character moments. It may not have the same emotional punch or surprising twists as its predecessor, but there is still enough tension to make the journey worthwhile.
Unfortunately, the film’s final twist is considerably less successful. Without getting into spoilers, a revelation arrives near the very end that feels almost completely out of left field. It does make logical sense within the context of the story, but it also feels unnecessary and somewhat disconnected from everything that came before. Rather than providing a satisfying emotional resolution, it comes across as an unusual way to close the characters’ arcs.
Ultimately, Fall 2: Deadpoint is a solid follow-up that understands what made the original work. It follows essentially the same blueprint, but its connection to the first film gives the story an additional layer that keeps it from feeling entirely redundant. The character relationships and midpoint twist aren’t quite as effective as they were the first time around, and the final revelation is an odd choice, but the film remains a tense and occasionally nerve-shredding survival thriller.
If you have a fear of heights, you may want to look away. Then again, that’s probably exactly why you’re watching.
SCORE: ★★★
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