Anyone who has seen director Tarsem Singh’s first film, “The Cell,” knows how visually stunning his movies are, but that’s nothing when compared to his latest picture, an orgy of bright reds and blues that looks like it’s been ripped straight from the pages of a comic book. Four years in the making, “The Fall” takes place in 1920 Los Angeles where a Hollywood stuntman named Roy (Lee Pace) has been hospitalized following a near-fatal accident on set. His back may be broken, but his heart is completely shattered when he learns that his lover has left him for another man. To help pass the time, Ray strikes up a friendship with a little girl named Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) – who, curiously enough, has also incurred an injury from a fall – and tells her the epic tale of Governor Odious and the five warriors who have vowed to defeat him. What Alexandria doesn’t realize, however, is that Ray has an ulterior motive – namely, to use the story as a means of tricking her into helping him commit suicide.
Reminiscent of “Pan’s Labyrinth” in its blending of reality and fantasy, “The Fall” aims to take things one step further by reimagining the people in Alexandria’s life as characters in the story, à la “The Wizard of Oz.” Unfortunately, the film doesn’t flow quite as well as Guillermo del Toro’s adult fairytale, and it’s probably a result of its piecemeal construction. This affects both the story’s tonal consistency and the pacing, which makes the movie feel about twice as long as it really is. Still, it’s hard to deny that Tarsem has created something special, even if it isn’t as great as it could’ve been. The visuals are a treat as usual and the chemistry between his two stars is extraordinary considering the age gap and the fact that this is Untaru’s first-ever acting gig. In the end, it might be a little too weird for most moviegoers, but if you like your films colorful and offbeat (think Cirque du Soleil as directed by Terry Gilliam), “The Fall” may be right up your alley.
