Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres, Digital and On Demand from director Howard J. Ford and Saban Films comes a climb for survival until reaching THE LEDGE.

Kelly (Brittany Ashworth) and bestie Sophie (Anais Parello) are out in the woodsy mountains to do a little climbing. They meet a band of guys clearly led by Joshua (Ben Lamb) with Reynolds (Nathan Welsh), Nathan (Louis Boyer) and Taylor (David Wayman).

Sitting around the campfire having a few drinks and laughs, things turn serious when Sophie teases Joshua. It is clear he does not find her amusing as a darkness sets over them all. When she goes off, the angry Joshua follows and what happens next is horrendous. Reynolds, Nathan and Taylor are panicked by what has happened and listen to everything Joshua tells them.

Hearing the commotion, Kelly grabs her camera and follows the sounds recording every horrible detail. Joshua hears her and notices the camera yelling for all of them to go after her. Doing her best to get away back to the cabin, she grabs a bag with the camera inside and runs!

Knowing they are only steps away; Kelly does what she knows how to do – climb! Heading up the face of the mountain, she finds a spot that the men cannot get to easily. Settling on a precarious ledge, Joshua is determined to get the camera and does not care who or what he sacrifices to get it.

He did not count on coming up against a strong woman and an immovable mountain!

Ashworth as Kelly is no shrinking violet in this film! Fighting for her life and for the truth about Sophie is all she is concerned with. There is no ego in the mix like those chasing her. Doing what she clearly is good at and has been trained for is what is keeping her on that tiny ledge. I enjoyed her performance if only to see Ashworth’s character was not about to back down AND can climb like a very cute mountain goat. Well done!

Lamb as Joshua is clearly a psychopath immediately into the film. Having total control of those around him, Joshua seems to have made it his life’s work to beat down anyone who gets in his way. Controlling his friends when they know good and well he is insane was the part that had my head shaking. Then again, that’s what you want when playing a character like this and Lamb gave it everything.

Boyer, Welsh and Wayman are the ‘friends’ who continually make excuses and exceptions for Joshua’s behavior. This is a very twisted and dangerous batch of guys who are clinging to a ‘bro code’ out of sheer fear. They know what he is capable of and have experienced it firsthand for years but stopping him is something each of them is unable to do. Going after Kelly is not exactly on their list for an exciting weekend, but neither is dealing with the ugly and frightening Joshua.

Saban Films was launched in 2014 and has built an impressive slate of high-quality feature films distributed with partner Lionsgate. Focusing on talent-driven films, the company looks at projects in all stages of production to be released across multiple platforms. Films such as SISTER OF THE GROOM, FATMAN and BREACH are part of the wonderful Saban slate, and more information can be found at www.sabanfilms.com.

THE LEDGE is a thriller from beginning to end that is a frightening and disturbing cat and mouse game with a mountain between them. Is it perfect? No. Are their things that sort of take the viewer out of the story for moments here and there? Yes. Is there wording that I could have done without. Yes. I have yet to see a film that does not make me want to go ‘huuuuummmmm’.

Once Ashworth’s character Kelly is on the ledge, I am hooked because she is mentally stronger and less likely to fall apart than the disturbingly-nutty counterpart Joshua. Kelly thinks things through, one step at a time and remembers all she has learned about being on the side of a mountain. Joshua makes hasty decisions based on anger that someone has control over the situation and has the camera!

Having the second half of the film focused on the power of the mountain and that becomes the only cinematography that matters. Ropes and ranting are the theme of the rest of the film and the story gives a grand lesson in patience comes to those who can handle being on a ledge.

In the end – do not lose your grip!

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