Deadfall (2012)

Deadfall (2012)

2012 R 95 Minutes

Crime | Drama | Thriller

A thriller that follows two siblings who decide to fend for themselves in the wake of a botched casino heist, and their unlikely reunion during another family's Thanksgiving celebration.

Overall Rating

5 / 10
Verdict: So-So

User Review

  • Deadfall ambitiously balances characters but instead melts into nothing. A crime thriller, no matter the budget or onscreen talent, relies on a captivating script to pull in its audience. It requires sufficient character development to substantiate the thrills and personable dialogue to make them relatable. Unfortunately this B-thriller has neither, but writer Dean gives it a damn good try. On the run from a heist, two siblings split apart in order to deviate from the incoming police. Once they reunite, they soon come to terms with their true desires. The sister wanting a normal life where her brother does not run it for her. Conversely the brother wants total control and refuses to let her go. Innocent individuals also become involved, where a romance blossoms and broken family bonds are mended. At just over ninety minutes long, there is not nearly enough time to develop all the characters in this cold story. Personalities change drastically when the story requires it. Take Bana's antagonistic character for example. At first, he exhumes humanity even during times of desperation, almost allowing you to sympathise with him. Then, towards the climatic dinner table scene (one of the better acts), he makes a complete U-turn and becomes hugely unlikeable just because the story needs a villain and must conclude urgently. He isn't the only one. Wilde's inexperienced character instantly falls in love with the first person she sees. Although, the romance is developed enough to make her a genuine personality. Various lines of dialogue are horrific, such as a little girl naively stating "I think you should leave your sister alone". Yet the biggest issue is the various scenes involving Mara's character. The sheriff's daughter who, for whatever reason, is subjected to excessive misogyny. She is so vastly underdeveloped that these scenes felt like filler in what is an already short film. Sure, it somewhat comes together in the end, but underwhelming regardless. Annoyingly the direction, acting and occasional thrills are all good. Just another case of wasted potential where the writer took on too much.