Vertigo - hangs on a prayer, not plot (IANS Movie Review)

Film: 'Vertigo'; Cast: Fanny Valette, Johan Libereau, Raphael Lenglet, Nicolas Giraud, Maud Wyler, Justin Blanckaert; Director: Abel Ferry; Ratings: * 1/2

What makes a thriller or horror film worth a watch is minute attention to detail. Since usually the story is implausible in the first place, this attention to plot, characters etc adds to its believability with the viewer. Sadly, 'Vertigo' fails in this simple, cardinal rule.

Five friends on a mountain climbing vacation, survive the vagaries of nature and accidents that plague their climb, only to be at the mercy of someone who seems to be hunting them for no apparent reason.

First of all the basic story itself is confusing. Beginning like a movie about climbing and the usual man versus nature as epitomised by 'Vertical Limit', it loses track midway to become a horror film, with a deranged Tarzan on the prowl.

The initial momentum gained by a good cinematography and tense moments is thus lost.

Also, there are too many loose ends, and plot inconsistencies for the delight of even a non-discerning viewer. The previous story of the female protagonist is shown in images that do not make sense till the end. There is no hint to explain that even in dialogues.

Also, some very simple settings seem extremely implausible. A man hangs from a ladder that is not falling anyway. He does not need rescuing, yet another offers help, which he takes, and the man falls.

The film was released as 'High Lane' in the US last year. Thank heavens for that, for releasing it as 'Vertigo' there would have sullied the name of a masterpiece of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock. Perhaps if the director had seen a few films of the master, he would have made a much better and believable film.