Review published 26th October 2026
Watch the official trailer.
The Story
Amy (MyAnna Buring) works for a high-tech pharmaceutical company and is dedicated to finding a cure for a deadly disease. After witnessing her mother’s death as a teenager, Amy has devoted her life to medical research in the hope of preventing others from experiencing similar loss. However, Amy’s personal life is far from stable. She struggles with OCD, suffers from an intense fear of heights, and is falling significantly behind in her work. The company’s management is growing increasingly frustrated, especially considering the millions of dollars invested in her research and the extensive resources placed at her disposal. Outside of work, Amy dreams of one day climbing a mountain with her partner Robert (Michael Amariah), something she has always wanted to do but has never managed to achieve because of her fear. Everything changes when Amy makes what appears to be a groundbreaking scientific discovery. The breakthrough instantly attracts attention from company executives, particularly Donaldson (Saffron Burrows), who sees enormous potential in Amy’s findings. Unfortunately, the discovery soon brings devastating consequences.
One day, Robert returns home to find Amy tied to a chair. Before he can help her, he is attacked by a masked intruder. When Amy regains consciousness, she discovers Robert dead on the floor. Devastated by the loss, Amy later learns that Robert had secretly purchased tickets for a mountain-climbing expedition, hoping to help her fulfil her lifelong dream and conquer her fear of heights. Determined to honour his memory, Amy decides to undertake the challenge herself. Joining her is Chloe (Silvia Presente), a co-worker who has remained supportive following Robert’s death. Together, they join a guided mountain-climbing expedition. However, what begins as a tribute to Robert soon becomes a fight for survival as dangerous individuals secretly pursue Amy and the information she possesses.
Two Films Fighting For Attention
Zip Wire is an action-thriller co-written and directed by Howard J. Ford, whose previous directing credits include The Ledge (2022), Escape (2023), DarkGame (2024), and Bonekeeper (2026). One of the film’s biggest issues is that it often feels like two completely different movies stitched together. On one hand, there is a corporate conspiracy thriller involving a world-changing scientific breakthrough and ruthless individuals willing to kill for valuable information. On the other hand, there is a survival thriller centred around mountain climbing, dangerous heights, and life-threatening situations in the wilderness. Neither concept is bad on its own. The problem is that they never fully blend together. Instead, the film often feels as though one storyline pauses so the other can take centre stage. This contributes heavily to the film’s messy opening act and occasionally confusing narrative choices.
Clunky Pacing And A Rough Opening
For me, pacing is the film’s biggest weakness. The opening act feels surprisingly clunky and uneven, largely because of how the story is introduced. The film begins with a dramatic moment involving Amy and Chloe on the mountain before abruptly cutting elsewhere, creating the impression that viewers may have missed something important. Rather than drawing me into the story, the opening often left me trying to work out how certain pieces fit together. Amy’s scientific breakthrough, Robert’s murder, and her decision to almost immediately embark on a mountain-climbing expedition never quite feel naturally connected. While the film eventually establishes why these events matter, the journey to get there feels awkward and rushed. As a result, the opening sections require a considerable amount of patience from the audience.
MyAnna Buring Holds It Together
Despite the screenplay’s issues, MyAnna Buring delivers a solid central performance. She convincingly portrays Amy’s grief following Robert’s death and does her best to ground many of the film’s more far-fetched story developments. Whenever the film focuses on Amy’s personal struggles and vulnerability, Buring helps make the material more believable. Amy herself is a somewhat mixed character. There is no denying that she is sympathetic given the tragedy she experiences, but she is not always particularly compelling. At times, the character feels defined more by her various problems than by her actual personality. Still, her intelligence becomes one of the film’s stronger qualities. Once Amy finds herself trapped in increasingly dangerous situations, the story allows her scientific knowledge and problem-solving abilities to play a more active role in her survival. Those moments were among the most enjoyable parts of the film.
The Fear Of Heights Problem
One aspect that repeatedly frustrated me was the handling of Amy’s fear of heights. The film spends a significant amount of time establishing that this is one of her biggest fears. It is repeatedly mentioned, forms part of her emotional journey, and serves as the primary reason for the mountain-climbing storyline. However, once Amy finds herself in genuinely dangerous situations involving extreme heights, that fear often seems to disappear entirely. Then, moments later, the film suddenly remembers it exists. As a result, her fear begins to feel inconsistent. Rather than watching someone gradually confront and overcome a genuine phobia, it often feels as though the screenplay activates and deactivates the fear whenever it is convenient for the scene. Considering how crucial this trait is to Amy’s character, that inconsistency becomes difficult to ignore.
A Mixed Bag Of Thrills
The mountain setting undoubtedly provides the film with some of its strongest visual elements. Several shots of the landscape look impressive, and there are moments where the environment itself becomes an obstacle. The central zip-wire concept is also quite clever from both a storytelling and budget standpoint. Unfortunately, the suspense rarely reaches the level I was hoping for. While there are some survival elements and occasional action sequences, the artificial nature of certain visual effects often undermines the realism. During several sequences, it became obvious that CGI was being used, which weakened some of the tension. The villains don’t help matters either. They serve their purpose as obstacles for Amy and Chloe, but they are largely generic, predictable, and forgettable. Most viewers will likely identify where the story is heading long before the film gets there.
Howard J. Ford’s Ambition Remains Admirable
Despite my criticisms, one reason I remained engaged was Howard J. Ford himself. I’ve followed his work for some time, and what I appreciate most is that his films rarely feel identical. Whether the results are successful or not, Ford consistently experiments with new ideas, concepts, and environments. Zip Wire is certainly not one of his strongest films, but I admire the ambition behind it. There is always a sense that Ford is pushing himself creatively and attempting something different rather than playing it safe. That willingness to take risks continues to make him a filmmaker worth following.
Final Thoughts
Zip Wire is an entertaining but uneven thriller that never fully lives up to the potential of its premise. MyAnna Buring delivers a solid performance, and the mountain setting provides some striking visuals. The central zip-wire concept is also a clever idea that helps distinguish the film from more traditional thrillers. Unfortunately, clunky pacing, predictable reveals, forgettable villains, inconsistent character writing, and a screenplay that feels torn between two different stories prevent the film from reaching greater heights. The handling of Amy’s fear of heights is particularly frustrating, while several key plot developments require audiences to accept some rather big leaps in logic. Even so, I remained entertained throughout, largely because of Howard J. Ford’s continued willingness to explore fresh ideas and create thrillers that feel different from one another. It may not be one of his strongest efforts, but for viewers who enjoy survival thrillers, mountain-set adventures, and independent filmmaking, Zip Wire still offers enough to warrant a watch.
Zip Wire (2026) will be Available on DVD & Digital from November 4th thanks to Eagle Entertainment!
About the Reviewer
Peter Walkden
Film and curator with a deep passion for cinema, genre filmmaking, and physical media. Exploring new releases, cult favourites, and overlooked films, with a strong focus on atmosphere, storytelling, and the theatrical experience.
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