'Fall 2: Deadpoint' Review
- Dempsey Pillot
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Release Date: 09/02/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Adventure. Drama. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated PG13.
Distributor: Lionsgate.
The Verdict: A Must-See
The way the first Fall film ends, you’d think there was no way up. But after recouping 7 times its original budget, it was only a matter of time before the studio found a way. The result is Fall 2: Deadpoint. Disregarding the hokey title, it’s a surprisingly worthy sequel that takes the thrills and story to different, yet familiar heights.
Directed by the Spierig Brothers (Jigsaw, Winchester), the film takes place shortly after the events of the last film. A montage of terribly produced newscasts, podcast interviews, and TikTok videos reveals that the world has been inspired by the climb that Becky Connor and Shiloh Hunter made in the first film - despite Becky being the sole survivor. In the aftermath, those devoted to similar death-defying stunts dub themselves “fall-owers.”
The real story begins after the introduction of Shiloh’s sister, Jax, who rejects her sister’s posthumous fame. She meets up with one of Shiloh’s college friends named Luce in an effort to sell her car. In the process, Jax stumbles upon Shiloh’s bucket list-esque notebook, filled with all the places she wanted to climb before she dies. She tells Luce to take it with the car. Luce reluctantly does, but not before trying to convince Jax that her sister’s adventures were truly an inspiration. The two go their own ways. But days later, Luce contacts a still-grieving Jax and convinces her that the only way she can move on from her sister’s death is to experience one of the thrills her sister never could.
Miraculously, Jax agrees. And the two set off to Thailand to trek the fictional Mount Kwon, a steep yet dangerous peak marked by parts where you can only travel by old wooden planks. Led by a mysterious guide named John, they scale the mountain with surprising ease. But when an unexpected rockslide destroys their path and leaves them stranded, they must work together and push their limits to survive.
Harriet Slater feels like a great successor to Currey’s Becky here as Jax. While her unflinching decision to join Luce feels forced, over the course of the film, you really get the sense that she is trying to be just as brave as her sister. Even if she is protected by insane plot armor, by the end, you can physically see the fear has left her body.
Arsema Thomas also does a great job as the daring Luce. In fact, the stark contrast between her and Jax is almost comical in the beginning. She is a great support system for Jax when they become stranded. However, similar to the first film, she’s revealed to be an unreliable companion harboring a secret that could break our protagonist’s heart. Tom Brittney’s John admittedly has the least screen time. Even though you don't get a full picture of his mystery or his history until the very end, whenever he is onscreen, he has quite the commanding presence that will leave you wanting more.
The script by Jonathan Frank and the first film’s director, Scott Mann, admittedly takes some time to get going, but once the trio begins their ascent, it becomes quite thrilling. Unlike the first film, though, it struggles to maintain momentum. Where the first film put Grace Caroline Currey’s Becky through Hell, and gave her so many ways to try and find help, here there are only a handful of things our characters can really do to try and save themselves. One of them is literally just pointing a laser.
Now, the sequences where either Jax, Luce, or John spring into action will leave you gnawing at the nubs of your fingers—those moments you can attribute to the wonderfully tense direction of the Spierig Brothers. Through claustrophobic close-ups and the occasional emphasis on the mountain’s aging infrastructure, you’ll wince every time someone even thinks of looking down. However, whenever those characters sit still, you may find yourself so bored that you may want to jump from your seat.
Even with its shocking third act twist, the film mostly feels like a studio’s desperate stretch to create new IP from a rare hit. Mostly. Buzzfeed’s production logo at the start of the film doesn’t do anything to stoke those fears. Yet thanks to the Spierig Brothers’ dutiful direction and a cast of compelling characters, it is still good. While it may not be the budding franchise’s peak, there are enough thrills to make it worth the climb.
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