Have a nice Fall! (CREDIT: Lionsgate)

Starring: Harriet Slater, Arsema Thomas, Tom Brittney, Virginia Gardner, Grace Caroline Currey

Director: The Spierig Brothers

Running Time: 97 Minutes

Rating: PG-13 for Bloody Moments Amidst the Extreme Peril, as Well as Some Drug Material

Release Date: September 2, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Following the death of her daredevil sister Shiloh (Virginia Gardner), Jax Hunter (Harriet Slater) has been dealing with a lot of unwanted attention. Shiloh died by falling from a 2,000-foot TV tower, so maybe Jax can move on by conquering her own fears from an even greater height. At least that’s what her new friend Luce (Arsema Thomas) thinks is a brilliant idea. So they head off to Thailand to conquer a notorious mountain famous for its dragon sculpture that supposedly eats your fears. None of the locals are willing to show them the way, but they do convince one guide (Tom Brittney) that they have what it takes. So soon enough, they’re all merrily stepping along a narrow bridge on the edge of the mountain. But as you might imagine, disaster strikes, and they end up stranded on a tiny plank 3,000 feet up in the air.

What Made an Impression?: How White Were My Knuckles: Survival thrillers that toy with acrophobia succeed most obviously in terms of how well they can make viewers feel like they too could plunge to their demise, but from the safety of their recliner chairs. The first Fall managed that feat tremendously. While Fall 2 isn’t quite as consistent in this regard, it does deliver a sufficient dose of sweaty palms and adrenaline bursts, particularly one scene when Jax summons her inner gymnast. Those with severe motion sickness should respectfully decline.
It Didn’t Seem Like a Good Idea at the Time: The details of Deadpoint are unique enough that you couldn’t fairly call it “Fall Redux,” but it is animated by some of the same underlying questions. In particular: why does one of the climbers ever agree to this? Jax is in no mood to cheat death, and there are plenty of much safer options for her to deal with her struggles. So how can it be that she so readily agrees to jaunt off all the way to Thailand? It simply doesn’t make sense. But sometimes people make decisions that don’t make sense, especially when they’re grieving.
Come Again?: Like its predecessor, Fall 2 utilizes its deviously simple setup to deliver plenty of lizard brain pleasures. But then in the final act, it serves up a ludicrous reveal that had me thinking, “Yeah, I’m pretty much going to ignore that and instead focus on the first 75 minutes.” It’s a bold decision, but not exactly one I’m convinced was set up properly.

Fall 2: Deadpoint is Recommended If You Like: The first Fall, Free Solo, Nonsensical twists

Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Planks