By Robyn Seltzer
Staff Writer
The long-awaited sequel to 2022’s “Fall” was released to theaters, titled “Fall 2: Deadpoint” on Sept. 2. Though the first movie could have stood alone, this movie brought new characters to soaring heights and put audiences on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.
After the film was greenlit in late 2023 with Scott Mann returning from the first film as a producer and writer, directors and brothers Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig were revealed to be lending their expertise on the second film. The two have previously directed films like “Jigsaw,” of the “Saw” franchise, and “Predestination,” with their earliest project as co-directors dating back to 2003, with the movie “Undead.” “Fall 2: Deadpoint” was both of their first projects since 2018, after the two seemingly took a hiatus from filmmaking.
Though many of the Spierig brothers’ previous films starred big names like Ethan Hawke and Helen Mirren, the cast of the “Fall” sequel featured mostly up-and-coming actors. Harriet Slater stars as Jax, the film’s protagonist who is grieving the death of her sister. Arsema Thomas’s Luce accompanies Jax to Thailand, where the two attempt to brave an illegal climb up a mountain thousands of feet in the air. When an avalanche of rocks separates the girls from their guide, played by Tom Brittney, as well as the rest of civilization, they must work together to find a way off the mountain, or die trying.
Slater got her start in professional acting in 2018 with two back-to-back short films called “Stretching The Play” and “Happy New Year.” Through these quick on-screen appearances, her career began to gain traction, and she earned a role in the popular series “Pennyworth.” Her character Sandra Onslow appeared in more than 20 episodes throughout the show’s run, and put her on the map as one to watch. Her talent in the television show scored her a small role in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in 2023, and she later starred and appeared in all episodes for the shows “Belgravia: The Next Chapter” and “Outlander: Blood of my Blood.” Her raw talent and ability to convey an array of feelings on-screen proves that Slater was born to play the complex and emotional Jax in “Fall 2: Deadpoint.”
Before she was cast as Luce, Slater’s costar, Thomas, had her fair share of ups and downs in the entertainment industry. Thomas’s first acting credit is from a seemingly failed television series titled “One Touch,” which ran for one episode with Thomas as one of the only credited actors. She later appeared in “Redeeming Love” with a small role, but her career turned around when she was cast as young Agatha Danbury in “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.” Her success from this series made her an actress to look out for, and after featuring in 2024’s “She Taught Love,” Thomas dazzled audiences as Luce in “Fall 2: Deadpoint.” Though it was only her fifth acting credit, her charisma and emotional range led her to having a starring role in “Fall’s” sequel.
The film has already received a vast amount of mixed reviews. Some people agree that anyone who liked the first movie will love this second one, while others believe the sequel to be lackluster and not as exciting as the first. Through the discourse, “Fall 2: Deadpoint” brought in $2.3 million opening weekend, an impressive accomplishment considering the first movie brought in only slightly more money, and this movie is against some heavily anticipated films in theaters, such as “Buddy” and “Coyote vs. Acme.”
With a third installment already greenlit, fans of the franchise wonder what sorts of new heights and nail-biting situations the character will find themselves in. Until then, movie lovers can still “fall” in love with “Fall 2: Deadpoint” in theaters now!
