dir. Howard J. Ford

Kelly (Brittany Ashworth) captures the murder of her best friend Sophie (Anaïs Parello) on her camcorder after one of the male members of their rock climbing group attempts to sexually assault her. Attempting to flee, Kelly soon realises that the only escape route is up, and begins to scale a gigantic cliff face. With the four men hot on her heels she must outwit them, or plummet to her death below.

With the success of recent films like Promising Young Woman (2020) and movements such as #MeToo, the subjects of sexual assault and revenge fantasies are hot topics. Ford’s film attempts to depict this issue and its consequences, but doesn’t treat it as authentically as needed for such sensitive material, lacking the heart required to elicit audience empathy.

One of the downfalls in particular is that it subscribes to the I Spit On Your Grave (1978) rapist villain ideology, where the attackers are outwardly bad and obvious in their intent, rather than the reality where they can be “nice guys” who hide beneath a façade. 

Despite this, by superimposing a murderous chase against dangerous mountain climbing sequences is unique, and adds some much needed tension to a satisfying final act.

⭐⭐

Ygraine Hackett-Cantabrana