Year of release: 2006
Director: Tarsem Singh
Stars: Catinca Untaru, Lee Pace, Justine Waddell, Kim Uylenbroek, Aiden Lithgow
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4
Synopsis:Tarsem Singh made his name as a commercials and music clip director (he directed REM's "Losing my Religion") before tackling the feature film domain, where he made his debut with "The Cell". "The Cell" was a poor film, with a screenplay that borrowed from better films about serial killers, but displayed a visual flair and a production design that set it apart. Following the critical disappointment of that film, Tarsem embarked on a personal project - "The Fall" is the result of that effort. Shot in different locations, the film follows the story of a little girl who's recovering in the hospital from a broken arm, and the relationship she forges with a stuntman from the silent movies era. He tells her a story of a group of rebels out to battle the evil Governor Odious. This fantasy world becomes so vivid for the little girl, that she becomes entangled in it. This short description almost reads like a Terry Gilliam film, and somewhere during "The Fall" you almost wished he had tackled it. The main reason the film feels empty is the fact that none of the characters really exist or have any depth. The screenplay feels underdeveloped and the fantasy that one expects to believe and make the leap with the central character, never really happens. The film ends up having it's strong points visually - the photography, the production design, the fantastic costumes from the Oscar winning japanese designer Eiko Ishioka, but sadly that's not enough to hold the interest of a film. A missed opportunity!
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