Fell (Kasimir Burgess, 2014) wr. Natasha Pincus, dp Marden Dean; Matt Nable, Jacqueline McKenzie, Daniel Henshall, Adele Perovic, Eddie Baroo, Shane Leckenby, Damian Hill; Victoria; drama; SFF 13 June
The raw beauty of a remote old-growth forest is both the backdrop and a catalyst for redemption in Melbourne director Kasimir Burgess’ mesmeric debut feature film Fell. Megan Lehmann, Hollywood Reporter.
... Nable conveys strong emotion without histrionics, just as he did in the under-rated 2007 film about a footballer facing the end of his career, The Final Winter, which he also wrote.
He is a powerful presence for long stretches of the film without dialogue, as Thomas/Chris leaves his civilised life behind to return to a primal state.
The film was shot in the Yarra Valley outside Melbourne and rarely has the bush looked so vibrant on screen. Almost literally taking a leaf from Terrence Malick and Peter Weir's atmospheric films, Burgess deftly creates the bush's many moods ... Garry Maddox, SMH.Contemptuously, Fell rushes through its set up, hoping the audience is not smart enough to see its narrative sleight of hand. ... Fell uses its love of nature to inspire awe with images of ants walking along bark fragments and sap that seeps like the young girl’s blood. The film also spends considerable time showcasing trees swaying in the audible wind as they gather oxygen to perform their function as the planet’s lungs. Annoyingly, this metaphor is constantly being reinforced by having the characters spend much of their time breathing through their mouth, creating a moronic panting on the soundtrack. ... As a result, by its finale, Fell has become a limp Cape Fear for conservationists that’s as guilty of pandering to its niche audience as Red Dog pandered to the mining industry. Russell Edwards, SBS.
Garry Gillard | New: 22 December, 2014 | Now: 5 April, 2020