Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - Fell

Matt Nable in a still - Fell

Over the past twenty years Australian films have achieved a hard earned reputation for excellent production values but often with dark, depressing storylines and exceptional, emotionally damaged main characters - mostly seeking redemption or closure. Fell, the debut feature film for Australian director Kasimir Burgess falls within this genre. The storyline follows Thomas, (Matt Nable) whose young daughter, Lara is killed by a logging truck in a hit-and-run accident while the two of them are camping in a forest. The driver of the truck, Chris (Dan Henshall) is sent to prison but the grief stricken Thomas quietly sheds his urban life and moves to the remote town near where Lara was killed. Re-establishing himself with a new identity he moves to an isolated ruined cabin in the forest and finds work for the same logging company that employed Chris. When Chris is released from prison and returns to logging, Thomas connives to be his partner in high tree-logging work seemingly bent on revenge.

This is a film with strong atmospherics centred around the forest with minimal dialogue between the characters. The actors are well cast, centred on the two main male characters however there is excessive images of Thomas' brooding face and forest scenery. While the slow moving tension is built through the plot, it eventuates into nothing leaving the audience with an unresolved inconclusive result.