‘Fall 2: Deadpoint’ Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed as Critics Find Sequel Lacks Original’s Magic

Sequels to unexpected streaming successes come with unique pressures, as audiences who discover the original years later often have heightened expectations that the follow-up struggles to meet. This is the challenge facing Lionsgate’s latest survival thriller, a film attempting to replicate the unlikely success of its low-budget predecessor.

The original film, ‘Fall,’ directed by Scott Mann in 2022, grossed approximately seven times its $3 million budget at the box office and gained even more traction on Netflix. Its unusual premise and twist ending turned it into a streaming sensation, achieving a 79% critics and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making a sequel feel almost inevitable once the original gained new life.

Now, the sequel has arrived, and early reviews indicate it hasn’t quite recaptured the same magic. ‘Fall 2: Deadpoint’ currently holds a 50% rating on the Tomatometer based on 10 reviews, with critics largely agreeing that the film fails to reach the heights necessary to justify its existence as a full sequel to the original’s tightly woven thriller formula.

Directed by the Spierig Brothers, Peter and Michael, ‘Fall 2: Deadpoint’ follows Jax, portrayed by Harriet Slater, as she and her late sister’s friend Luce, played by Arsema Thomas, attempt a perilous plank walk across Thailand’s Mount Kwan in tribute to Jax’s sister, Shiloh. A sudden rockslide leaves them stranded about 3,000 feet above the ground, forcing them to fight for survival in a scenario that echoes the vertigo-inducing stakes of the original film.

AV Club’s review highlighted a specific structural flaw that hinders the film, noting that despite a midpoint plot twist intended to recontextualize one of the leads, this revelation ultimately fails to alter the characters’ relationships or add significant depth to the film’s adrenaline-fueled entertainment. Much of the first half is described as focusing on underdeveloped connections between the two co-stars, with weak characterization undermining the tension that the premise should naturally create.

Despite the mixed reviews, critics generally agree on one aspect the sequel excels at. ‘Fall 2: Deadpoint’ still delivers thrills through its nerve-wracking heights and suspenseful scenarios, providing plenty of excitement even where its character development falls short.

This divide between technical execution and narrative depth appears to be a recurring theme in most reviews. The core survival premise, which sees two characters navigating an incredibly precarious situation, continues to generate the visceral tension that made the original such an effective genre piece, even if critics feel the emotional stakes surrounding that tension haven’t been developed with the same care.

With ‘Fall 2: Deadpoint’ now playing in theaters as of September 2, its reception suggests it may follow a similar path to its predecessor, potentially garnering a stronger audience response once it eventually becomes available on a streaming platform, allowing casual viewers to discover it without the burden of comparison to the original’s unexpected success.

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