Zip Wire Review: Cancer Cure Scientist Dangles in Thriller

The film 'Zip Wire' presents a nonsensical premise where a world-famous British research scientist, Amy (MyAnna Buring), who has discovered a cure for lung cancer, finds herself dangling from a disused World War I zip wire in the Italian Dolomites. This rickety cable, originally intended for military supplies, becomes the stage for Amy's fight against highly skilled assassins. The film attempts to provide emotional depth through syrupy flashbacks to her mother's death from cancer when Amy was a teenager, establishing her motivation for the groundbreaking research. Adding to her characterization, Amy also suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), manifesting as an extreme fear of germs that prevents her from removing her rubber gloves and necessitates an assistant for any object handling in her lab. These character traits, however, are presented as stereotypes, failing to add significant complexity to the narrative. Amy's vital cancer research is funded by a large pharmaceutical company, whose CEO is portrayed by Saffron Burrows, a casting choice noted by the reviewer as increasingly common in subpar British thrillers. The film's overall tone is described as a silly, low-adrenaline thriller that struggles to maintain audience engagement, with the zip wire itself, a relic from the first world war, being a central, albeit underutilized, element. The narrative unfolds in increasingly preposterous ways as Amy attempts to fend off her attackers while suspended precariously. The reviewer criticizes the film for its lack of suspense and its failure to generate excitement, suggesting that even the dramatic setting of the Dolomites and the high-stakes scenario of a life-saving cure being targeted cannot elevate the movie beyond its fundamental weaknesses. The film's pacing and plot development are deemed insufficient to hold the viewer's attention for its duration, leading to a generally disappointing viewing experience. The reviewer concludes that the film is 'seriously slack,' implying a lack of tension and a failure to deliver on its thriller genre promise. The narrative's reliance on simplistic character archetypes and improbable action sequences further detracts from any potential impact.