Award-winning director Tarsem Singh (The Cell) creates a moving and seamless blending of day to day life in a 1915 Los Angeles hospital with a visually sumptuous fantasy world of exotic bandits, evil tyrants, dream-like palaces and breathtaking landscapes. Shot on location in 18 countries around the world, The Fall stars Golden Globe nominated actor Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) and Justine Waddell (Mansfield Park, Chaos) and features a breakthrough performance by first-time Romanian child actress Catinca Untaru.

If you saw Tarsem Singh's first feature film, The Cell, you'll have an easier time interpreting this review and deciding if this is a good film for you. In my opinion, The Cell was terrific, although having J-Lo play the lead role was a bit of a stretch. The Fall is about a story, part fantasy and part based on events in the story tellers recent experience, that is being told to a young girl. The story is pictured in her mind and displayed in fantastic detail on film. Adding to the complexity of the fantasy is that much of the interpretation of the story is left to the little girl and the audience. This is a multi-faceted and layered story that is gradually revealed as it is told.

Both the story teller, Roy Walker (Lee Pace) and the little girl Alexandria (Catinca Untaru) are hospitalized with broken bones. The film is set in 1915 and Roy, a silent film stunt man, is suicidal over a breakup with his girlfriend. Since Roy's broken bones are in his legs, he's immobile and he's weaving this intricate tale not to entertain the little girl, but to gain her trust so that she'll steal morphine pills from the apothecary. Morphine is the method he's chosen to use to end his life.

While the film is set in 1915, the fantasy is not! It spans a couple of millenniums and includes Alexander the Great, Charles Darwin, a freed Roman slave, an Indian (from India, not the Midwest) and a priest as well as the Governor Odeus who everyone is out to get. Odeus represents the actor that stole Roy's girlfriend. Alexandria and Roy make several appearances in the fantasy as father and daughter. As Roy's condition deteriorates, the story gets darker and darker and Alexandria begins to realize that there is more at stake than the fate of these imaginary characters.

If this movie were a painting it would be a Dali. At first glance it is chaotic and too complex to comprehend, but as you look further, incredible details are revealed and each reveal leads to another. Eventually you see the thread that ties it all together.

After having read several other reviews, it's clear there is a love-hate relationship with The Fall. If you like complex movies that require a great deal of thought and the occasional ability to suspend your need for reality, this is for you. If you love exotic scenery and colorful sets, this is for you. If you need superheroes in tights and non-stop action, try another movie!

All that said, I watched this film in awe of the incredible sets and cinematography that are all part of the strange fantasy that Roy is telling to capture the little girl's favor.

The Fall opens May 30, 2008 at selected theaters in Florida, including the South Beach 18 on Miami Beach and the Gateway 4 in Fort Lauderdale. Look for show times on Mark's List at the Movies.