Before the Fall (Tres días) (2008) – [rate 4.0]
Considering the fact that deaths are more common than the end of the world by a few dozen orders of magnitude, you might say that the latter gets an inordinate number of movies written about it. But often a movie will focus on what happens after the world has ended. Or the actual ending of the world is portrayed with lavish use of sfx and Hollywood stars. With movies about death, it’s generally the other way around; they tend to focus on either dealing with the death of others, or preparing for one’s own approaching passing.
Before the Fall is more like that than most apocalyptic cinema, but with a twist. At first it reminded me of Last Night (1998), which also shows people in the knowledge that the world is about to end. But Before the Fall doesn’t just tell the story of average people in an agricultural are and the way they might deal with the situation (a rock falling from the skies). It focuses on a single family that seems to have more pressing matters that need to be dealt with before the fall.
This wasn’t at all what I expected it to be and that contributes to how much I liked it. Believable characters, effective use of effects and surroundings to make the situation believable. Interesting cinematography and overall a movie I would recommend.
