Celestial Love and Mystic Shadows: A Review of Fallen
Luce Price, a character to fall in love with, is introduced to us, along with a mysterious crime she didn’t commit, forcing her into the Sword & Cross Academy. As she unravels her connection to Daniel, she soon discovers that he is a fellow student shrouded in secrets. As we discover the secrets that keep devolving, we get into a time travel love story between centuries, revived in the present day obstacles.
The movie in many ways speaks of redemption, eternal love and the contrasting reality of Heaven and Hell. It is mystical in tone, replete with drama and thriller, imbued with a sense of celestial influence over earthly lusts; and Addison Timlin finds the perfect vulnerability that balances it with Jeremy Irvines enigmatic Daniel. This role is supported by the cast: Daisy Head, Joely Richardson add depth and charisma to the narrative, but some characters remain undeveloped.
Scott Hicks’ direction perfectly conveys the ethereal quality of story not to lose the emotional core. Although the first part isn’t perfect (his approach sometimes can’t help feeling slighted given the main thematic ambitions of the film), the soundtrack reinforces the atmospheric tension well, it supports the mystery better and creates some tender moments with music. Fallen beautifully fits into the story but without leaving an effect.
Visually, Fallen has alluring views at Sword & Cross Academy. The light flows through and from the shadows of the film, just as it mirrors the play of the film’s supernatural elements and emotional nuances; the production design is heavy on this both physically transporting viewers to a world that feels both familiar and inexplicable. In particular, the academy is made with a haunting charisma that creates an aura in and of itself.
Special effects are used in a very poignant manner, especially when conjuring forth the mystical shadows and celestial. Rather than overshadowing the narrative, the editing orchestrates support for the narrative.
The editing remains faithful to maintaining a coherent narrative flow while being able to maintain a mysterious aura about itself. There are occasions when pacing occasionally derails the flow too much; some scenes occur overlong.
The film delivers suspense well, but some sequences meander. Fallen could benefit from a tighter narrative focus.
The dialogues in Fallen are quite perfunctory, but also quite poignant; some of them contain brilliance, but for every one theres a tired cliché. Still, they convey the emotional richness of the story that Fallen boasts with its compelling premise.
Fallen is haunted, in part, by the promise of its mythological lore yet fails, mostly in part, to capitalize on its mythological lore. Pacing inconsistencies dull the impact of the movie’s crucial scenes, and crucial character arcs don’t fully develop. Fallen is a supernatural romance, but its so very good that it sometimes overpowers a critical depth of narrative.
Fallen is a reflection of the sense of wonder merged with longing as its theme of love that spreads over time. The fairy tale premise and visual storybook quality are compelling, but more of a devotee to the genre will want to see the story told with more heart and meaning. It is both intriguing and you wish for more immersive exposure to the celestial drama it provides.
