Brad reviews STRAW DOGS (2011), starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgard and James Woods!

Posted on August 16, 2026 by Bradley Crain

After reading a lot of negative reviews, I went into this 2011 remake of Sam Peckinpah’s STRAW DOGS expecting to not like it. I only bought the DVD because I’m a James Woods super-fan and completist. The good thing about that lowering of expectations, though, is that in my first viewing (in 2026) I was able to focus on the movie itself rather than in comparison to the original. After watching it, I would never argue that this version is a great movie, but I did find myself enjoying it more than I thought I would.

David and Amy Sumner (James Marsden and Kate Bosworth) arrive in her childhood hometown of Blackwater, Mississippi, where David plans to work on a screenplay while they fix up her old family home. David’s a successful Hollywood screenwriter, but he’s not tough at all, which is at odds with the small town football and southern deer-hunting culture he now finds himself in. Amy, who’s had some success as an actress, has a history with many of the people in town, especially her old boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard). Eventually that history turns into something much more dangerous than you would ever imagine (if you hadn’t seen the original).

Because I’ve only seen the original film once or twice in my currently 52-year-old life, I don’t necessarily hold it as some sort of untouchable masterpiece of cinema, and I can like how this version of STRAW DOGS builds its tension. There are definitely some moments where I found myself wondering what the hell David and Amy were thinking. David seems intent on giving the local yokels every possible opportunity to walk all over him. Then again, as a person who always tries to be nice and avoid a fight, I don’t know how much different I would have been. I would hope that if my wife and entire livelihood was being threatened, however, I’d find the intestinal fortitude to do whatever it takes to protect them and myself. David eventually does find that nature within himself.

Amy’s unexplained behavior is even worse. After being offended that the locals ogle her when she’s exercising, she decides the appropriate response is taking her top off purposely in front of an open window so those same locals can see. While I can unequivocally state that there’s never any excuse for violence against women among rational people, the problem is that these are irrational people who don’t play by the rules of society. This is one of those cases where the only possible explanation for Amy’s behavior is because the screenplay needed her to do it. Even when the worst case scenario eventually plays out, the despicable behavior taps into our basic instincts and we want to see vengeance served.

James Marsden and Kate Bosworth are okay as David and Amy. Their characters aren’t particularly engaging, but you can’t help but pull for them in comparison to those around them. Alexander Skarsgard is awkward and creepy as Charlie, Amy’s old boyfriend. I loved him as the powerful vampire in the HBO series TRUE BLOOD. He’s something totally different here, and he eventually goes so far off the reservation you can’t help but want him to get his comeuppance. Of course, I wanted to watch the movie because of James Woods, who plays Tom Heddon, a former local high school football coach who seems to be just a drunk at the bar these days. It turns out that he’s loud, mean and incredibly nasty. In a history of playing vicious bastards, this character plays out as one of his worst. It’s an incredible performance just a couple of years before, as Woods has said, his unapologetically conservative political views would essentially get him blackballed from Hollywood.

The final scenes are extremely violent, and based on what we’ve seen, it’s hard not to feel that the violence is justified. It’s ugly, but I won’t deny that I wasn’t emotionally moved to see it. Legendary film critic Roger Ebert would say that he preferred this remake to the original. I won’t go that far, but that’s a pretty strong indicator that this film shouldn’t be dismissed just because most won’t find it to be as good as the original. What it is is a mean, violent thriller with some strong performances, especially from Skarsgard and Woods. If you’re willing to forget that it’s a remake of a superior film from 40 years earlier, you just may enjoy it!

Brad’s “Scene of the Day” features OPEN RANGE (2003)!

Posted on August 15, 2026 by Bradley Crain

I love westerns! Absolutely love them! Every now and then someone still gets them right, and director and star Kevin Costner delivered a great one in OPEN RANGE. Of course, one of his best decisions was casting Robert Duvall as the lead in his film. It’s a film I rewatch each year. As a matter of fact, I watched it just a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it again.

In recognition of OPEN RANGE being released 23 years ago today, on August 15th, 2003, I thought it might be fun to share this scene from one of the best westerns of the 21st century!

Brad reviews Samuel Fuller’s RUN OF THE ARROW (1957), starring Rod Steiger and Charles Bronson!

Posted on August 12, 2026 by Bradley Crain

RUN OF THE ARROW opens with confederate sharpshooter O’Meara (Rod Steiger) shooting the final shot of the Civil War. With no war to fight and with a heart full of hate for the Yankees, O’Meara declares himself to be a man without a country and heads west. When he’s captured by a band of Sioux warriors led by Crazy Wolf (H.M. Wynant), he invokes the “run of the arrow”, a ritualistic game that could save his life. The problem… no one has ever survived the run of the arrow, but today’s his lucky day as he’s wounded but survives just long enough to be saved by the beautiful Yellow Moccasin (Sarita Montiel). She nurses him back to health and presents him to her tribal chief, Blue Buffalo (Charles Bronson), who eventually allows O’Meara and Yellow Moccasin to get married. Things seem to be going so well, too well. When Crazy Wolf starts another violent campaign against the American army, O’Meara must decide if he’s a Sioux warrior willing to kill American soldiers, or if there’s a part of him that can still love his country?

In RUN OF THE ARROW, director Samuel Fuller made a movie about the damage that occurs when human beings allow their hearts to be so filled with hate that they quit caring about other people. It’s also about what happens when those same people run into rational people, and we find out if they’re capable of considering the possibility that their own hate has blinded them from the truth. In other words, it’s a film that’s possibly more relevant today than it was when it was made in 1957. Bitterness and hate are represented by the characters of O’Meara (Steiger), Crazy Wolf (Wynant), and Lieutenant Driscoll (Ralph Meeker). O’Meara hates Yankees, Crazy Wolf hates the white man, and Driscoll hates the Indians. The rational people are the characters of Yellow Moccasin (Montiel), Blue Buffalo (Bronson), and Captain Clark (Brian Keith). Yellow Moccasin saves O’Meara when everyone else would have just let him die. Blue Buffalo engages in honest conversation with O’Meara and even welcomes him into their tribe. Captain Clark shows O’Meara an empathetic ear and kindness when others have told him to just get over himself. The actions and fates of the characters play out against this dynamic of hatred versus humanity, with the results underscoring just how tragic it is when people focus on the things that separate us rather than the things that unite us. It’s all so unnecessary, but it’s also a realistic vision of the world we live in. The film also struck me as particularly violent for a 50’s western, which also underscores that reality.

Some of the performances are very effective in the film. Rod Steiger’s Irish, confederate Sioux is an interesting character and the actor gives it his all as you’d expect. I’m a big fan of Steiger and his performance here only solidifies my respect for him. Brian Keith’s Captain Clark arrives fairly late in the proceedings and comes across as a tough, but honest man of integrity at a point when the movie really needs him. He has an excellent scene with Steiger where he debates the old confederate’s reasons for renouncing his citizenship with both sound logic, empathy, kindness and a hint of likable sarcasm all at the same time. It’s one of the best scenes in the film. And likewise, Charles Bronson, the most buff Hollywood Indian to ever strip down to a loincloth, comes across as a reasonable and kind tribal chief in his dealings. Bronson had played American Indians before, but he was usually more of the renegade, warpath variety, so it was nice seeing him as a good guy here. H.M. Wynant took the renegade Sioux warrior role here which you might have expected for Bronson at the time. He’s suitably fierce but one-dimensional. The same can be said for Ralph Meeker as Lieutenant Driscoll. He’s pretty much just a stereotypical jerk. He’s good at being a jerk though! And Sarita Montiel, voiced by Angie Dickinson, is quite the beauty as Yellow Moccasin.

I’ve recently heard RUN OF THE ARROW compared to Kevin Costner’s DANCES WITH WOLVES, and there are definitely similarities. I won’t go into all of those here, but one of the things I appreciated the most about RUN OF THE ARROW is the fact that the movie makes its feelings known about politics. In a movie filled with characters who have had their lives upended by the various decisions of political leaders, Fuller has crafted a story that focuses most sharply on defining the quality of men based on what’s in their “hearts.” When it’s all said and done, oftentimes the only control we have is the way we respond to the events in our lives, and that’s not politics, it’s personal. To drive this home, an older scout named Walking Coyote tells O’Meara that he could have been a chief if he had wanted to be. When O’Meara pushes him on why he didn’t want the position, Walking Coyote responds with, “Because I hate politics!” On that point, I couldn’t agree more.

Billy Jack lays out Charles Bronson!

Posted on August 10, 2026 by Bradley Crain

My title may be a little misleading, but I always find it fascinating when certain iconic individuals work together on screen. Tom Laughlin and Charles Bronson crossed paths early in both of their careers, with Laughlin accomplishing something that very few actors would be able to claim later on… he knocked out Bronson!

It all goes back to the pilot episode of Charles Bronson’s T.V. series MAN WITH A CAMERA, titled “Second Avenue Assassin,” which premiered on October 10th, 1958. In that first episode, Mike Kovac (Charles Bronson) wants to get a picture of his old neighborhood pal, Joey Savoyan (Tom Laughlin). Joey has risen in the boxing ranks, and is getting a title shot at the champ, Sal Benning. But it seems that success has changed Joey from the guy Mike knew, and there have been many reports that he’s turned into a jerk who’d rather punch a reporter or photographer than look at them. When Mike goes to Joey’s training camp and proceeds to tell him that his attitude is an embarrassment to the people pulling for him back home, Joey gets pissed and the two men end up in the ring. Apparently, Mike could whip him back in the day, but times have changed and after absorbing a few of Mike’s jabs, Joey lays his ass out cold with one punch. The photograph that makes the papers that night is Mike lying flat on his back with the headline “Joey Savoyan puts ace photographer in darkroom!” There’s more to the story, and Bronson and Laughlin end up working together, but not many characters have knocked Bronson out and got to live to tell about it!

In celebration of Laughlin’s 95th birthday in badass heaven, I decided to share that video with you today. Enjoy!

Brad’s “6 Shots from 6 Films” – featuring Billy Bob Thornton!

Posted on August 4, 2026 by Bradley Crain

One of the greatest actors to come from the state of Arkansas was born in Hot Springs on August 4th, 1955. Sometimes called the “Hillbilly Olivier,” Billy Bob Thornton seems to be aging like fine wine!

Happy Birthday, Billy Bob. You’re the best!

Brad reviews THE BADGE (2002), starring Billy Bob Thornton!

Posted on August 2, 2026 by Bradley Crain

Being an Arkansan, and living in the same county where SLING BLADE was filmed, I’ve always been a big fan of Billy Bob Thornton. One of the things I like about him is his ability to somehow make the most miserable human beings just a little bit sympathetic. So many of his characters seem like they have no redeeming characteristics on the surface, but way down deep, in places they may have forgotten about, there’s a decent man trying to get out. That’s certainly the case with his Sheriff Darl Hardwick in THE BADGE.

Darl is a small-town Louisiana sheriff who spends most of his time dealing with the drunks, unruly youth and other assorted troublemakers. He’s not a model law enforcement officer, either. He drinks too much, womanizes, has a short temper and seems to take his marching orders from the politically powerful and corrupt Judge (William Devane). When the dead body of a transgender woman is discovered, Darl initially treats the investigation like any other. But it soon becomes clear that certain powerful people in the community want the situation to quietly disappear. Things get more interesting when the deceased woman’s spouse Scarlett (Patricia Arquette) shows up from New Orleans, with Darl ultimately deciding to confront some ugly things about his past and the community he serves.

THE BADGE is a movie that’s not afraid to get dirty and uncomfortable. Everything here feels sweaty, rundown and a little bit rotten. And that’s whether we’re in the porn shops and strip clubs of New Orleans or a majestic mansion near Shreveport. On multiple occasions, Darl comments on the bad smells that are around him. When you consider the ever present political corruption that we witness throughout the movie, it seems clear that the filmmakers are pounding that stench into our heads. It’s a heavy handed approach, but it gives the movie an atmosphere that fits its story of small town power and prejudice versus the LGBTQ+ community.

As I mentioned earlier, Sheriff Darl Hardwick fits Billy Bob Thornton like a glove. He’s a deeply flawed man, but he still has a sense of right and wrong, and when he’s up against the wall, he decides to do what he thinks is right. The supporting cast is very good, with Patricia Arquette, William Devane, Ray McKinnon, Thomas Haden Church, and Sela Ward all giving strong performances. I thought Patricia Arquette is especially good as Scarlett, and she has one line that made me laugh out loud. If you know anything about Arquette’s politics, her line, “I can’t believe I’m depending on Republicans to save me,” can’t help but make you smile.

THE BADGE isn’t a perfect movie, and there are times when it sacrifices some reality in order to make its points. But thanks primarily to Thornton’s strong work, I did appreciate it as a dark crime drama about an extremely troubled man who finds enough decency to do the right thing and fight for justice when everyone else just wants him to go away.

Brad ranks the nine J. Lee Thompson / Charles Bronson movies!

Posted on August 1, 2026 by Bradley Crain

British director J. Lee Thompson was born on August 1, 1914. He directed some classics in the early 60’s, movies like THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961), where he received an Oscar nomination for Best Director, and the original CAPE FEAR (1962), which I personally consider superior to Scorsese’s 1991 remake. Gregory Peck, who starred in both films, once said there were only four directors he could trust to tell him whether or not he was faking his performance: Alfred Hitchcock, George Cukor, William Wyler and J. Lee Thompson. High praise indeed!

When the British film industry began caving in at the end of the decade, Thompson moved into Hollywood productions and continued to work steadily for the next couple of decades. He worked on films in all genres, like westerns (MACKENNA’S GOLD – 1968), science fiction (CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES – 1972) and horror (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME – 1981). After Thompson retired in 1989, he would sometimes lament that he had “sold out” his individual artistic desires in order to just keep working. But he would never be too hard on himself, because he enjoyed making movies and always brought professionalism and competence no matter the movie.

The main reason I like J. Lee Thompson is because he would make 9 films with actor Charles Bronson from 1976 to 1989. With Thompson as director, you knew the film would always have a certain level of quality, and Bronson loved his fast, no-frills method of shooting. In celebration of Thompson’s 112th birthday in cinema heaven, I thought it might be fun to provide my ranking of those 9 films. So here we go!

Coming in at #9 is MESSENGER OF DEATH (1988). Thompson is at his best during the incredibly tense and vicious opening sequence, but the script ultimately can’t keep the momentum going, and it’s one of Bronson’s more boring films. On some positive notes, it’s a different kind of movie for Bronson, more of a whodunnit than a straight action film. It has a strong cast, filled with veterans like John Ireland, Jeff Corey, and Trish Van Devere. It also has some beautiful Colorado scenery.

Next up at #8 is CABO BLANCO (1980). After years of poor video releases, Kino Lorber released the film on a special edition Blu-ray in 2016, which highlights how Thompson was able to capture the natural beauty of the Mexican locations. Bronson gives a committed performance as Giff Hoyt. The casting of legends like Jason Robards and Fernando Rey, in a fantastically corrupt turn, are a big plus as well. Unfortunately, the film’s script and story never really come together and the end doesn’t make much sense.

Coming in at #7 is KINJITE: FORBIDDEN SUBJECTS (1989). This would be Thompson’s final film, and he goes out with a slick and sleazy thriller. In my opinion, KINJITE contains one of Bronson’s stronger Cannon performances, but the subject matter is particularly dark and ugly, with themes of child exploitation, human trafficking, sexual violence, and prejudice. I think it’s a good film, but you definitely need a bath afterwards. Juan Fernandez is odd and memorable as the villainous pimp, Duke.

For #6, I’m going with DEATH WISH 4: THE CRACKDOWN. After the bonkers outrageousness of DEATH WISH 3, Thompson took the reins from Michael Winner for this entry, and delivered a much more straightforward action film. There is so much action in DEATH WISH 4, and the oilfield shootout contains some of Bronson’s more iconic imagery of the 80’s. The film was a huge renter at the video store, the most successful of the entire franchise in that department. John P. Ryan is also gleefully over the top as the bad guy.

At #5, I’m going with THE WHITE BUFFALO (1977). This western has grown on me over the years. Thompson is able to pull strong performances out of Charles Bronson and Will Sampson in the lead roles of Wild Bill Hickok and Crazy Horse. Combined with John Barry’s musical score, he’s able to give the film an eery, otherworldly quality with each appearance of the white buffalo. The film may have bombed at the box office, but it’s pretty darn good movie.

At #4, I’m going with THE EVIL THAT MEN DO (1984). I’m especially appreciative of Thompson for his work on Bronson’s final badass hitman film. The original director, Fielder Cook, was fired and Thompson was brought in at the last minute with very little prep time. He was still able to deliver a violent, brutal thriller. This one has its rough moments, but I’ve always liked Bronson as the amoral instrument of justice. And his down-low takedown of the giant sexual predator in the slimy Mexican bar is one of the more memorable scenes in any action film!

Heading into the top 3, I’m going with ST. IVES (1976) at #3. In Thompson’s first movie with Bronson, he delivers a fun, little mystery thriller. I particularly enjoy Bronson’s performance as Ray St. Ives. He seems to always have a smile on his face as he makes his way through the various Los Angeles locations. With definitely less action than your average Bronson film, I enjoy the change of pace as well as the excellent supporting cast of veteran actors like John Houseman, Jacqueline Bisset, Maximillian Schell, Harry Guardino, Harris Yulin, Dana Elcar and Michael Lerner. Heck, Jeff Goldblum and Robert Englund even show up as some henchmen. This is Bronson at the peak of his movie stardom.

At #2, I make an extremely personal choice with MURPHY’S LAW (1986). While the film is definitely an 80’s Cannon time capsule, this is one of two movies that kicked off my lifelong obsession with Charles Bronson, with the other being DEATH WISH 3. Thompson keeps the action moving efficiently from one set piece to another as Jack Murphy and Arabella McGee (Kathleen Wilhoite) try to figure out who is framing him for the murder of his stripper ex-wife. Carrie Snodgress is enjoyably nuts as the bad lady. Not only have I watched this movie dozens of times, I have been blessed to meet the film’s composer (Val McCallum) and interview Murphy’s partner (Robert F. Lyons). This movie is just special to me in ways that critical analysis can never capture.

And at #1 in my list of Bronson-Thompson collaborations, I choose the 1983 tough cop/slasher hybrid TEN TO MIDNIGHT. Charles Bronson is particularly strong as Leo Kessler, the veteran detective and dad who will go to any length to bring down a vicious, impotent killer of women, played brilliantly by Gene Davis. It has one of the best and most controversial endings of Bronson’s career. I give credit to Thompson for delivering an entertaining thriller that would appeal to an audience outside of Bronson’s normal fanbase. 10 TO MIDNIGHT would be a major player on premium cable channels like HBO. When I met my wife, she didn’t know who Bronson was, but she knew the film and loved it. Even though he was already an aging action star, the success of this movie propelled Bronson’s theatrical leading man career to the end of the 80’s.

Thanks for all the memories, J. Lee. Your films have been an endless source of entertainment for me for over 40 years! Rest in peace, sir

Brad reviews 90210 SHARK ATTACK (2014)!

Posted on July 31, 2026 by Bradley Crain

There are bad movies, there are worse movies, and then there are the worst possible movies. 90210 SHARK ATTACK just may be the worst of the worst.

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the plot, but it revolves around a group of horny college students who are spending the weekend in a beautiful mansion in Beverly Hills. They’re there for an Oceanic Anthropology class, where they’ll be working on special projects under the supervision of their scheming professor, Pamela Vantzen (Donna Wilkes). Unknown to the rest of the students, Alyssa (Stephanie Shemanski) is in possession of a cursed shark tooth necklace, and when she gets excited, bad things tend to happen.

I knew I was in trouble when the movie opened on a Beverly Hills trolley car with Christmas decorations on it, signs like “Deck the Hills” and various artwork of Christmas presents. The movie is set during the summer. I also kept wondering how they would encounter sharks since the mansion they’re staying in is “miles away from the ocean,” but it turns out that the filmmakers didn’t care about this issue, so I soon stopped worrying about it myself. What this movie does have is a loop of stock footage that includes Beverly Hills, CGI sharks, a beach, and an aquarium that it cuts back to time after time. Between the extensive credit sequences and the stock footage, I would guess the actual actors are not on the screen more than 45 minutes of the entire 75-minute runtime.

It doesn’t get much better when the actors are on the screen. I watched this because Donna Wilkes is in it. I had recently watched her in JAWS 2, and I remember her back in the ‘80’s in the enjoyable, low-budget exploitation film ANGEL (“High School Honor Student by Day. Hollywood Hooker by Night”). She doesn’t have anything to work with here, and neither do the other actors. The characters and dialogue are as ridiculous as you would expect, but in a boring way, not a fun way. So much time is spent watching them walk from room to room, or across the yard, or taking a shower, or gallivanting in the pool. I couldn’t even enjoy the shower scenes, because they only focused on the men!

When it’s all said and done, there’s very little time left for the sharks. And based on our movie, that’s not a big issue. Our CGI shark gets less than 30 seconds for the entire film. This part is sad, because the one thing that I did find ridiculously fun in a “wtf” kind of way is when the demonic ghost-shark first appears at about the 47-minute mark.

At the end of the day, I blame director David DeCoteau for this mess. I’ve been watching some of his “Wrong” series of Lifetime TV movies with the #MondayMania live tweet group. Those movies aren’t high art, but they are fun, campy thrillers, so I know he can make an enjoyable film. At the end of the day, I didn’t expect something great, but I did expect him to try to entertain us. Apparently, that was too much to ask!

Brad’s “Hero of the Day” – Chief Martin Brody (JAWS)

Posted on July 30, 2026 by Bradley Crain

When I think of my favorite movie heroes, it seems that I’ll often lean towards men who may not appear that heroic on the surface but always seem to find the courage to do what needs to be done. Now don’t get me wrong, I love larger-than-life characters like John McClane, John Rambo, and Indiana Jones, but my ideal hero isn’t like those guys. My favorite heroes are normal guys, that is, until fate forces them to be more. A perfect example is Chief Martin Brody from JAWS.

Brody isn’t fearless. In fact, one of the first things we learn about him is that he’s afraid of the water. He’s a former New York City police officer who moved his family to the quiet island of Amity, only to find himself facing an absolute nightmare. While so many movie heroes run toward danger because they know they can handle it, Brody runs toward danger despite believing he can’t.

What makes him heroic isn’t supersized strength or expert fighting ability. It’s his sense of responsibility. Brody is always trying to do the right thing. He wants to close the beaches, but politics and the tourist money get in the way. Even after he’s pressured into backing down, he doesn’t stop trying to protect the people on the beach. And when the time comes, he gets on board the Orca with Quint and Hooper to go hunt a great white shark, even though that’s the last place on Earth he wants to be. His courage isn’t the absence of fear. Rather, it’s choosing to take action even though he is afraid.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Brody is played by one of my all-time favorite actors, Roy Scheider, a man who has his own section in my massive physical media collection. Scheider deserves a tremendous amount of credit for making Brody feel so real. He doesn’t play Brody as tough. His facial expressions, body language, and nervous energy portray a man who is terrified. In other words, he represents how we might feel if we were in that position. Scheider’s performance reminds us that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary courage when others are counting on them.

That’s why Martin Brody is one of my favorite movie heroes. He doesn’t have superpowers, military training, or funny catch phrases, even if his “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” has become one of the most famous quotes in cinematic history. And he doesn’t stop being afraid, either. He’s just a decent man who keeps doing the right thing, even when he’s scared. That’s the kind of hero I can relate to.

Hero of the Day

Brad reviews FALL (2022)!

Posted on July 29, 2026 by Bradley Crain

I’ve never been that afraid of heights, but you’ll never catch me climbing up the side of a mountain or jumping out of a plane. I don’t have that daredevil gene that makes me want to do stuff like that. Back in 2023, our family visited Yellowstone, so we took a ride on the Beartooth Highway that runs through the Rocky Mountains in parts of Wyoming and Montana. As I was driving that gorgeous roadway, I will admit that I became quite “weak in the knees” a few times as I drove near some very steep edges. The more I think about it, I don’t really like heights that much, but I’m willing to deal with them as long as the payoff is awesome and the risk isn’t too crazy.

FALL is one of those movies that takes whatever fear of heights may be lurking beneath our surfaces and forces us to deal with them from the comforts of our own living rooms! I kept looking at my wife because it was hard for me to look at the screen, and my wife kept telling me her palms were sweating. This lady spent a decade as a flight medic, but she was still struggling.

The premise is about as simple as it gets. A year after a devastating mountain climbing tragedy, Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) reluctantly agrees to climb an abandoned 2,000-foot television tower with her thrill-seeking, social-media obsessed best friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner). Once they reach the top, the ladder collapses, leaving them stranded 200 stories above the desert with almost no supplies, no way to call for help, and only some vultures for company. This all happens in the first 30 minutes. For the remainder of the film’s 107-minute running time, the ladies will have to do whatever they can to survive.

The film succeeds because it understands exactly what it wants to be. This isn’t some deep character study about a person’s quest for the rediscovery of peace and happiness after unimaginable pain and suffering. No, this is all about creating tension, and sometimes nauseating tension at that. Every rusty rung and loose screw on the way up foreshadows the characters’ fate. Once they’re stuck at the tiny platform at the top, the camera constantly looks over the edge, forcing us to experience the mind-blowing heights and the growing desperation right alongside the characters. These are the scenes where I had to keep looking away to maintain my own sanity!

As you might imagine, this isn’t the most realistic movie in the world. It’s one of those movies that keeps setting you up to think something good is just about to happen only for things to continue to get worse. Then again, as an audience we know when watching these types of movies that things have to keep going wrong or the movie would be over way too soon. FALL definitely works best if you just go along for the tense ride, without thinking too much about some of the finer points. From that standpoint, I was able to really enjoy the film, even when some of the twists and turns along the way threatened to go too far.

I wasn’t really familiar with their prior work, but Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner do fine jobs in the lead roles. As the grief-stricken Becky, Currey does the heavy lifting as we see her go from being completely broken, to almost giving up hope, before finally finding the courage and resilience to battle for survival. As the free-spirited, certifiably insane Hunter, Gardner has plenty of enthusiasm and charisma. Once they’re stuck at the top, she also shows a lot of bravery as well. The movie spends almost its entire runtime with these two actresses, so their chemistry has to work, and it does. I’ve always liked Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and it was nice seeing him as Becky’s dad, even though it’s a small role.

One of the best things about movies is that they have the ability to take us places we would never go on our own. Not in a million years would I ever climb the rock cliff of a mountain or a 2000-foot TV tower. But FALL took me up that tower and made me feel something. It made me uncomfortable, it made me a little sick, and it made my hands sweat… and I liked it. And all from the comfort of my own living room.