Movie Natters: May 28, 2008 Archive

The beauty of "The Fall"

Posted at 4:31 PM on May 28, 2008 by Euan Kerr (3 Comments)

"The Fall" is one of the most visually lavish films you will see all year. It's not a special effects movie, just spectacularly filmed, saturated with color, and even has a twisted little story along the way.

Director Tarsem ("The Cell") challenges the audience from the opening shot as to what it is seeing. A fight? A ballet? There's a steam train, a trestle bridge , and cowboys, but what is it and why is everyone moving so slowly?

We learn in time this is the story of Roy Walker (Lee Pace) a silent movie stuntman languishing in a Los Angeles hospital after an on-set accident.

There he meets Alexandria, (Catinca Untaru in an incredible performance,) a young immigrant in a partial body-cast after falling while picking oranges.

To while away the time he tells her an epic tale of masked bandits seeking revenge against an evil tyrant. As the tale expands it becomes increasingly dark and personal for both Roy and Alexandria, threatening them both.

The film uses eye-popping locations on 18 countries, taking a simple tale to extraordinary levels. Tarsem's visual style draws on everything from Dali and Escher to tribal art and early Hollywood. This is a film to see on a large screen.

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