Fall (2022) Ending Explained
tl;dr: The ending of Fall (2022) reveals that Becky, the protagonist, survives her ordeal on the abandoned radio tower by amputating her trapped arm and descending safely. However, the film takes a dark twist when her friend Hunter, who fell earlier, is revealed to still be alive but dies shortly after. The final moments show Becky recovering but haunted by trauma, hinting at lingering psychological scars from the experience. The ambiguous final shot leaves viewers questioning whether her survival came at too high a cost.
Detailed Explanation of the Ending
The climax of Fall sees Becky (Grace Caroline Currey) making a desperate choice to free herself from the 2,000-foot radio tower where she and her friend Hunter (Virginia Gardner) have been stranded for days. After Hunter falls to her apparent death, Becky is left alone, dehydrated, and hallucinating. In a gruesome act of survival, she uses a makeshift tourniquet and a broken piece of metal to sever her arm, which is pinned under debris. This moment is both physically and emotionally brutal, symbolizing her willingness to sacrifice part of herself to escape the tower-both literally and metaphorically, as the experience forces her to confront her grief over her husband's death.
After freeing herself, Becky descends the tower and collapses at the base, where she is discovered by a passing trucker. However, the film delivers a shocking twist when Hunter, presumed dead, is revealed to have survived the fall-barely. She crawls toward Becky, whispering cryptic words before succumbing to her injuries. This moment is chilling because it underscores the randomness of survival and the cruel irony that Hunter, who seemed dead, lived long enough to die in front of Becky, adding another layer of trauma.
The final scenes show Becky in recovery, her arm amputated, surrounded by loved ones. However, the psychological toll is evident. In a haunting final shot, Becky looks up at a cell tower, triggering a panic attack, suggesting that while she escaped physically, she may never fully escape mentally. The tower-a symbol of her trauma-looms over her life, leaving the audience to wonder if she'll ever truly recover. The ambiguous ending doesn't provide closure, instead emphasizing that survival isn't always a clean victory.
Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers
- Did Hunter actually survive the fall, or was Becky hallucinating again?
- Possible Answer: The film deliberately blurs reality, but Hunter's survival seems real, making her death even more tragic.
- Will Becky ever overcome her trauma?
- Possible Answer: The final shot implies she may always be haunted by the tower, suggesting PTSD.
- Why didn't Becky's earlier attempts to signal for help work?
- Possible Answer: The remote location and lack of cell service made rescue nearly impossible without extreme measures.
- What was the significance of the vultures?
- Possible Answer: They symbolized impending death and the inevitability of the tower's danger.
Personal Opinion on the Ending & Film
Fall is a gripping survival thriller that excels in tension and psychological horror. The ending is both satisfying and deeply unsettling, refusing to offer a neat resolution. Becky's amputation is a visceral metaphor for the irreversible cost of survival, and Hunter's last moments add a tragic twist. However, the film's reliance on hallucinations can feel repetitive, and some logistical questions (like why they didn't secure better equipment) linger. Overall, the ending succeeds in leaving a lasting impact, emphasizing that some scars-physical and mental-never fully heal. The final shot of Becky staring at the tower is a masterful, chilling conclusion.