Major Disappointment! We have been looking forward to this film based on the reviews and trailers only to leave the theater shaking our heads wondering how much lower movies can go. All the good scenes were in the trailer. It totally lacks any real story and leaves you with an empty feeling. After only 20 minutes you could care less about the characters in the movie. The only reason we can see why a critic might like this movie is that *all* movies are so poorly written and lacking in any story arc as to make this one look somewhat good. In a world of blind men, a one-eyed man is king. Save your money.… Expand

A fantastic film! I loved it up till the dissatisfying ending but one of the best movies of the year. Astounding and Magnificent.

A story about telling a story; but while the listener expands we can thank Tarsem for having the vision to give us some breathtaking visions and sequences. Even the opening, the black and white silent cowboy film being made on a bridge, gives us a tremendous series of almost statuesque tableaux. If you have a love of the visual, and understand the need to enjoy stories (however slight the plot is, and it isn't very deep at all) then this is a wonderful film. Having said that, the lack of a solid story just takes the edge of it, though the performance of the little girl who listens to the story unfolding is tremendous.… Expand

I don't know what these reviewers were watching, because this is probably the best film I've ever seen. My boyfriend and I are both in the industry and we have very different means of judging a film -- he's more visually driven, and I'm first and foremost critical of the script and performances -- and we both thought this was a perfect movie. We were on the edge of our seats the whole time, we laughed at every scene (along with the rest of people in our screening) because despite the earnest marketing campaign, this is actually full of silly humor, and were both moved to tears at unexpected moments. The spectacle isn't arbitrary, nor are the plot twists. It's tightly constructed, with lots of unconventional choices that feel very honest. I cannot recommend this movie enough.… Expand

Amazing. Risk-taking in visual poetry.

If you like amazing cinematography, great writing and great storytelling go see this! If you like only typical Hollywood crap this movie isn't for you.

Absolutely phenomenal. One of the most gorgeous films I have ever seen. It reminded me of a cross between Wizard of Oz, Pan's Labyrinth, and a Wes Anderson prescribed adventure. The stunted acting and brunt honesty of the film acknowledges the trip into fantasy and its conflict with reality. Not to be missed.

I saw this movie twice already, and I'll probably see it one more time, something I’ve never done before. Folks, this is the best movie of the year. It’s even better than “Pan's Labyrinth”. BTW all those critics who gave this movie a bad review should be investigated by FBI. Seriously, they may have been bribed by major Hollywood studios. That’s the only thing I can think off.

Ingenious tale with vivid imagery. The two main characters work in unison to make the most of unfortunate circumstance. Together, they weave a story that is comical, tragic, adventurous and riveting. The story is told by an adult and the visions are as interpreted by the child....Worth a post movie dinner dissection!

When you were very young; when storybooks were read to you ... do you remember creating worlds so vivid that they were simply real, when you closed your eyes and imagined them to be? The Fall will invite comparisons to Pan's Labyrinth, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and maybe even The Wizard of Oz. It's a grown-up's storybook - a chance for you to sit down, revert back to your childhood, and become engrossed in make-believe again. However, if you've forgotten how to do that, you might have already outgrown this kind of film. This is storytelling as a fine art that not everyone will remember how to appreciate. Filmed in 18 countries over four years, this is also one of the most visually stunning movies I've seen. The symbolic uses color coupled with the rich palette, as well as the minimalist cinematography, create visual emotion like few films ever have. This one's better on the biggest screen you can find. In the end, The Fall is an ode to the magic of cinema.… Expand

Visually stunning, wonderful performances by Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru as the little girl, and at times a heart-pounding narrative made this an unforgettable movie experience. After seeing it, I subsequently dreamt all night-images that were enveloped in brilliant colors and dramatic movement-impressions that were as surreal as the film itself. This must be seen on a large screen; I can't imagine it diminished on a small one.… Expand

Beautiful but dumb, and frustrating because the concept could have be astounding. There needed to be less flamboyance, and more plot, and message.

A fantastic movie from a director who I had only previously known from the ridiculous "The Cell." I gave him a second chance with this film and am glad that I did. Besides the amazing visual that even its worst critics agree to be breathtaking, we have a wonderful reality plot juxtaposed by the fantastic story in the background. The story does a great job of showing how the story being told is not necessarily seen as intended, with the young girl's mind making its own decisions on how things visually happen (e.g. the Indian Roy describes is not of the Eastern variety). I agree with Ellen C that this should be seen in the theater if possible, but I will still be purchasing a copy as soon as it is on DVD.… Expand

This is most hilariously bad movie I've ever seen. The 'story' makes no sense. The 'acting' and 'dialogue' are straight out of a junior school play. Every other shot looks like the generic photo that comes with the picture frame. To top it all off, a fair amount of money looks like it was pumped into the production. (at least it created work for a lot of people, eh?) Rent, and make a drinking game out of it, mute and make up your own dialogue, or just throw popcorn at the screen.… Expand

The moive was wonderful to watch. It has so many plots lines and graphics it's an amazing watch.

Visually stunning and moving. Catinca Untaru was nothing short of amazing. I don't know what was harder to do, fall in love with Untaru's sweet and adorable character or be enchanted by the fantasy story. This movie is so well written & directed, I'm amazed I haven't heard more about it. Critics giving this film low scores do not appreciate charismatic cinematography, especially when its not filled with gallons of blood, nudity and vulgar language. In modern day cinema, it was refreshing to see a film so original. This is a must-see for all movie-goers. A+… Expand

Pretentious, artsy nonsense;.vacuous and incompetent. The director has a story to work, but little of that is apparent in the script, and worse yet is he doesn't know how to render a dramatic scene. His actors try minimalist expressions to little effect. They try to cry but end up whining. He shooting angles are ridiculously wide and distant because he thinks the inanimate matter will speak where his actors fail to. He can thank his travel agent cum cinematographer for the postcard views.… Expand

Catinca Untaru is soooo lovable...and the story is quite fun to be followed...this movie won Glass Bear Award at the Berlin Int'l Movie Festival 2006...but to the lukewarm critics, I don't know whatever happened. And it's a movie you could enjoy though you go to the cinema alone.

Best movie of '08 by far. A visual masterpiece that delves into the bleaker aspects of the human pysche. The tale (the fantasy told by Roy) within a tale wonderfully reflects the mental state of lead character.

Though the scenery is the most sumptuous looking I've seen in a very long time, thankfully, none of the actors take one bite. It's a beautiful film, told simply, realistically, and everyone involved is simply magical. It's colourful and dark, epic and small - it's everything you wished your life was.

Fantastic. A beautiful vision of childhood innocence and imagination and the imperfections of childhood imagination. By letting Catinca Untaru be herself and adapting the film to her performance, Tarsem takes us to a place we haven't been since we were little. It is not conventional and not for everyone, but I found it to be fantastic in the truest sense of the word.

This is a moving tale of a suicidal man and innocent little girl who transform each other through a story that they improvise together. The film is as focused as it is phantasmagoric; it's a lusciously crafted lesson about the trans formative power of the imagination.

An absorbing movie worth multiple viewings. The rare movie that presents the world as seen through a child's eyes in a convincing way. More than a little confusing at times (again, multiple viewings).

This is an R-rated kid's movie. The public expected and deserved better than to be treated to this "Speed Racer" with a Humanities degree.

I have a hard time understanding all the 10's for this film. For me to give a 10, it has to be pretty much flawless, and this film was FAR from that. While it was extremely good visually, the story itself left a lot to be desired. In fact, if it wasn't for the great cinematography, I would probably give it a lower number. This was nowhere near the quality of some of the other films I have seen this year such as The Edge of Heaven, Wall-E, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days or even Iron Man.… Expand

Slow to start, but the ending is worth the wait. The Fall, though not phenomenal, is utterly intense, and sometimes confusing, but at the end of the movie, it comes together like a masterpiece. Though I had heard of this movie, I wasn't sure what to expect, so I decided to check it out and am very pleased that I did. Without a doubt, it's one of those movies that you either love or hate. It's difficult to be on the middle-ground.… Expand

I love this movie. It is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful films I have seen in a long, long time.

Wow - visually, this in one of the most stunning movies ever made! The only reason I did not give it a 10 is that it was more like watching a world class art installation than a dramatic film. The story is simple in its construction (although there are some not so obvious underlying meanings). In general, I think the negative reviews are related to the small mindedness of the general American movie going crowd. The most amazing part of this movie is that no computers were used to enhance any scene. In an age where we take the amazing for granted because everything is altered - this movie is truly amazing! See it!… Expand

Stunning cinematography. Imperfect characters, the way people are. The story progresses with steep pace, the way life is. A kaleidoscopic tour around what nature offers, what civilization created and the puny inners men still have.

Utterly, utterly boring. Nothing but eye candy here.

Epic and ambitious, visually stunning but hampered by a largely B-List cast. Worth seeing for the cinematography alone.

A totally underrated movie. This one is a feast for the eyes and something for the heart.

The interplay of images and story unfolds to create a visually stunning and original epic film hidden within a drama. The tale is beautifully supported by the remarkable and natural performances of Pace and Untaru. And, the fact that it was filmed with a small budget and (at times) a small crew, makes it an even greater achievement.

There's nothing I can say here that will accurately tell you how good this movie is. You really need to see it.

Beautiful but simple, self-aware but enchanting. Substance matches style. See it.

Superb visuals. Both the real world as well as the fantasy settings are exotic. Intimate though somewhat disjointed story. Great acting. I actually felt the fact that I could understand only half of what the little girl said added to the exotic flavor of the movie.

The film is truly inspiring at first glance one would think that you were viewing a cinematic painting of Salvador Dali, vivid colour and expression of love, loss, temptation, confusion and heroic story telling at it's heart, it's all there. Tarsem Singh is definitely inspiring.

the acting is so-so, the writing is not that great (some of the dialog is kind of ridiculous), and the plot is bizarre/somewhat uninteresting. but it the technical aspects of the movie are PHENOMENAL, i've only seen a handful of movies that are so stunning. the costume and set design (if that is the right term) are great, and the visuals are beautiful. watch this movie for no other reasons than because there is no other movie like it.… Expand

After analysing this film and seeing it for a second time I have seen the masterpiece that is the fall. From the foreshadowing and great use of symmetry in the opening scene to the beautiful images of tarsem's sets. Not only is this film great in an artistic way but dramatically it delivers a surprising punch for an art film that's main focus is it's visuals. I strongly recommend everyone to see this film although it is not for everyone.… Expand