We love an insane survival film, where the odds are impossibly low, and the danger just becomes more threatening. It doesn’t matter if the story is paper thin; it’s all about the adrenaline rush and giving the audience vertigo. Somehow, the part about the story not being too important skipped over Zip Wire.
For a survival thriller where the main part of the film takes place on a zip wire, the film spends a lot of time establishing why our characters are there in the first place, and oh my, it’s convoluted. Even our main villain delivers his lines with such venomous sarcasm, as if he knows how silly and yet straightforward this should all be. If you loved those recent hit films like Fall, prepare to be confused and not shocked.
Having seen her mum die from lung cancer when she was 13 years old, Amy has been determined to find a cure. While working as a highly skilled researcher at a pharmaceutical company, she finally has a breakthrough. But no sooner has she made this discovery, her research is stolen, her partner murdered and she is left alone. Wanting to scatter his ashes in the Dolomite Mountains, she braves the trip only to be pursued by those who want her life’s work. With no escape, she finds herself on the dangerous aerial runway, in a desperate attempt to out run this mysterious enemy.
As this is meant to be a survival film, there is far more emphasis on Amy’s research and the repercussions it could have. With the set up feeling overly long, the fall out from the events on the wire feel a bit rushed. The bulk of the story (and action) does take place on a wire thankfully, keeping the adrenaline spiked, even if there is a predictable body count as well. But as there is really only one way the story could naturally go, which is down.
Through it all, MyAnna Buring gives everything she can to the role, if a bit stereotypical of someone with OCD, she is able to humanise Amy and make her more than a 2D character. Joseph Millson also deserves a mention as the main bad guy Evan, leading this expedition in terrorising Amy. Despite the fact that every other line he has is ‘give me the code’, he still injects sarcastic menace into the character.
Overlooking clear budget restraints, Zip Wire does have some genuine terrifying moments, especially if you do not do well with heights. The nerve-wracking moments are all centred on the wire itself, which is a shame when the action moves back down on the ground, the film loses momentum but at least we are given a few gory deaths to make up for this. It’s no Fall but if you don’t mind eye watering heights mixed into a weirdly high stakes plot, then you may be able to cope with Zip Wire.
Zip Wire had its world premiere at FrightFest 2026 on Sunday, August 30
