FALL (2022)

November 21, 2023 by strategus1 2 Comments

A Risk Analysis by: 

Jewell Garrette

Tonisha Lalsingh

Prudence Roberts

Morgan Sabga

MGMT6310 Strategic Management 

Produced in 2022

Written by Scott Mann and Jonathan Frank

Major actors: Grace Caroline Currey (Becky Connor), Virginia Gardner (Shiloh Hunter), Mason Gooding (Dan Connor) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (James Connor).

 INTRODUCTION

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as well as Garvin’s 8 Dimensions of Quality provide two frameworks that are targeted towards organizational performance. This blog by the group “Strategus” will be analyzing the movie Fall (2022) which does not take place in a workplace setting but still evidently has identifiable hazards that can be assessed and prevented along with a discussion of one of the main products such as an iPhone used throughout the movie with reference to the various dimensions of quality.

SYNOPSIS

The low-budget film did not need fast action chases, shootouts, or flying superheroes to extract all of your emotions.  The film reminds you of what it is to be human in many ways – the best, the weakest, and sometimes the worst.  It follows the story of Becky Connor who loses her will for life after her husband, Dan, dies while climbing a mountain with both Becky and her friend Hunter. Becky becomes suicidal and alcoholic, deep in mourning with the memory of the incident ripe in her mind at all times as withdrawal became her lifestyle.

Hunter returns, one year after Dan’s unfortunate accident to convince Becky to climb a decommissioned 610 m B-67 TV Tower before they demolish it the following winter.  Her manipulative justification was the scattering of Dan’s ashes at the top of the tower as a form of healing. However, her hidden agenda was to increase her following on YouTube.  It just takes one night of reminiscing before Becky agrees to the challenge the next morning.

There are risks and hazards of climbing the tower, too numerous to count, some obvious and some hidden. Our one consolation is that Becky got to scatter Dan’s ashes when they both reached the top of the tower. As meandering and strategizing as it is, the movie is about the thrill, until it becomes about survival. The girls are our heroes for reaching the top. How it continues in that one spot, 610 m up in the air takes about one hundred minutes of thriller action.

Many risks are faced, and the loneliness of the spot resonates through the air as they struggle to overcome their challenges. This blog will explore the different types of hazards: physical, chemical, biological, psychological, and ergonomic found throughout the movie and suggest possible alternatives or strategies that could have been made within their limited options or perhaps before reaching such precarious situations as well as provide an assessment on the dimensions of quality of the iPhone used throughout various scenes.

Fun Fact: The B67 tower is real.

THE TYPES OF HAZARDS

BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

Figure 2 represents an Image of Becky emptying the Anxiety Medication

The Institution of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH, UK) categorizes biological hazards as harmful toxins, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other sometimes unseen dangers that can either lead to sudden, long-term illness or in some cases, death. While biological hazards exist everywhere, some jobs and sites pose a higher risk.

1. Combination of Alcohol and Anxiety Medication

The main character, in a fate of depression, attempts to overdose on a combination of alcohol and anxiety medication after attempting to call her husband who has been dead for a year.  According to Young et al (2013), fatal drug poisoning caused by its combination with excessive amounts of alcohol seems to be an unintentional trend observed among persons who suffer from substance use disorders (SUDs), particularly with anxiety disorders.  A household that has persons who have been identified as having psychiatric problems that require medication should not be allowed to live alone, especially if the individual is displaying distinct signs of emotional distress as was evident in the movie.  While her father did try to intercede, it was not done forcefully enough to intervene.  Young et al (2013) also observed that mood and anxiety were key risk factors for unintentional poisoning by alcohol.  However, Becky’s signs of depression were very obvious.

Figure 3 is an image of the bag containing all of their stock after it fell on the TV antenna

2. Lack of Drinking Water

It is already known that the main character, Becky, has been consuming excessive alcohol over an extensive period before the day of the climb.  Chronic ingestion can trigger dehydration in an individual.  The human body is approximately 60% water, and it can be lost from urinating, sweating, and even breathing.  Becky displayed signs of anxiety before climbing the tower which would have been a clear warning to her to avoid any dangerous situations.  Then they enter into a precarious situation when the bag containing their water falls off the tower.  Becky is at a higher risk of becoming dehydrated due to the ethanol in her body and dehydration is known to trigger symptoms such as basic thirst, lightheadedness, dizziness, and unfortunately, anxiety (Stanborough, 2020). 

Figure 4 is an image of Becky after she urinated, showing a large, inflamed cut on her upper thigh.

3. Not cleaning after Urinating/Urine on an open wound

After reaching the top, and sustaining a leg injury, Becky felt the urge to urinate. They tied her leg injury.   Of course, the location offered no options for privacy, so she was obligated to urinate on herself.  Not cleaning one’s private parts after urinating can trigger a urinary tract infection (UTI) for women and jock itch for men (Torborg, 2016).  Urine contains bacteria (microbiota), even in a normally hydrated person so it is not sterile.  Scientists are undecided on the validity of using urine to flush a wound. Top Australian survival expert, Mr. Bob Cooper, advised that flushing a wound if it was freshly passed may be tolerable, but not left in the heat for bacteria to breed (Noone, 2016). Becky was there for several days.  Also, urine has no antibacterial properties.  It is waste that the body has expelled.

Recommendations for Biological Hazards:

1. Given her extreme coping mechanism for her husband’s loss, Becky should have received supervised counseling and proper administration of medication until she could function normally as determined by a psychiatrist or therapist (Smith, 2018).
2. Becky should have given her body a few days not weeks of re-conditioning before embarking on the trip, particularly after a year of excessive alcohol consumption (Gresham, 2022).  She should have physically trained, had a balanced diet for a few days, and ensured her body was well hydrated with a proper electrolyte balance. 
3. She should have had a proper medical examination before embarking on the climb given that she was on anxiety medication.
4. The characters should have urinated before heading on the climb.
5. Becky should have removed her clothing and urinated over the edge to prevent her clothes from absorbing excessive urine and letting it get onto her wound.  Ideally, they should have carried a first aid kit to cater for cuts.  Although this was a rather large one and would have required medical attention, keeping it clean and covered would have been a first defense to prevent infection (Leonard 2023).

Overall Risk Rating for Biological Hazards- 3×3=9 (High Risk)

The Biological Hazards are given a High-Risk Rating as the consequences of these risks can lead to severe long-term health effects and chronic illnesses.

CHEMICAL HAZARDS

Chemical Hazards refer to the risks associated with exposure to harmful materials, chemicals, and substances that can potentially cause harm to health, environment, or property due to absorption, inhalation, ingestion, or injection. The effects include local and systemic as “local effects to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract. Systemic effects include the manifestations elicited by the absorption of the toxic agent into the body and its distribution to the internal organs” (Gafafer, 1964).

1. Corrosion and Rust Inhibitors– As the tower is built from metal materials, chemicals that may have been used to prevent corrosion and preserve the metal parts of the tower can be hazardous to the two girls to be exposed to especially due to getting stuck on the top of the tower for days which means they would have been overexposed to these chemicals for prolonged periods of time.

2.  Bioaccumulation of Toxins- As the main character Becky was stuck on the tower for several days with no food and water, the realization set in that only the fittest would be able to survive as she hears her friend in her head telling her that she needs energy and to eat something in order to stay alive. Therefore, Becky had no other option but to try to kill the vulture with her bare hands that was preying on her open wound at the top of the tower to use as food. This presented a Chemical Hazard as the bioaccumulation of toxins such as toxic chemicals that build up in the tissues of living organisms over time poses a chemical hazard to Becky through ingestion as she consumed the vulture meat.

Figure 5 shows one of the vultures seen throughout the movie.

3.  Inhalation of Rust Particles – The two girls climbed the rusted tower and during their journey, the movie detailed scenarios where the ladder of the tower after being disturbed due to the rust of the metal collapsed. The ladder could have caused rust particles to be released into the air as inhaling these particles can irritate the respiratory system and cause wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Additionally, due to the rust particles from the ladder and the lack of proper protective gear such as gloves, any rust particles on their hands would have gotten on their face or noses unconsciously through touching, and it could be inhaled and irritate their respiratory system.

Recommendations:

1. In order to protect themselves from the chemical hazards posing a threat to their health due to the overexposure of chemicals that may have been used to prevent the tower from rusting as well as from the rust particles, both Becky and Hunter could have used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves and respiratory protective masks to protect themselves.
2. Another recommendation is to ensure the girls had full body covering instead of short pants and tank tops to partake in the climb which would have reduced their exposure to the chemical hazard.
3. Both Hunter and Becky also could have packed food in their bag which would have prevented her from having to eat the vulture and tied the bag onto the tower instead of leaving it on the platform where it was vulnerable and could have fallen.

Overall Risk Rating for Chemical Hazards- 2×3=6 (High Risk)

The overall risk rating is a high risk as these chemical hazards have severe respiratory and health effects, especially in instances of overexposure to these chemicals for long periods throughout the movie as some of these hazards could have easily been prevented.

ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

Fernandez (1995) defines ergonomics as the design of the workplace, equipment and systems while taking into account the human’s physical, physiological, biomechanical and psychological capabilities. While optimizing the effectiveness and productivity of work systems to ensure the safety, health and well-being of the workers. Three ergonomic hazards were identified in the movie: 

Figures 6 and 7 are images of the girls looking up at and sitting having poor posture on the tower.

1. Awkward posture/ Poor posture

Throughout the movie, the actors had to be in abnormal bodily positions. Climbing up the mountain or the B67 pole required them to work overhead so this involved a lot of looking up and while on the pole there was no furniture to properly support the spine, so the actresses had to slouch for prolonged periods of time. There was a lot of bending, twisting and excessive stretching to reach objects that were just out of reach, for example, the bag when it fell. An awkward posture is when the body is not in a natural position while working (Yale, 2018). This can cause stress on the spine, causing muscle fatigue and pain.

2. Static posture- holding pole 1:15:28

In order to get help, Becky had to climb up 30 more feet of the B67 tower in order to charge the drone and fly to alert the town. To charge the drone Becky had to stay in a static posture for hours. Static posture refers to the physical exertion of staying in the same position for long periods until the activity is completed, additionally, static posture leads to static loading of the muscles and joints causing discomfort (Dong et al., 2022). This can lead to an inflammation build and for prolonged periods may lead to musculoskeletal disorders. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021), musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. Please refer to the video above. While holding on for hours, vultures were also attacking her causing her to grip tightly onto the tower which resulted in more stress on the muscles. 

3. Forceful exertion- Lifting heavy objects. 

Hunter had to pull Becky up to safety in various scenes of the movie, as well as Becky who tried to pull Hunter back up after getting the bag that fell. Becky was not successful as Hunter’s foot slipped and she fell to her death. As the body is exerting a large amount of pressure, the muscles contract, thus, leading to fatigue. Therefore, the more pressure is exerted and for long periods, the faster the muscles become fatigued or strained. Excessive and overuse of muscles at forceful exertion can cause damage, soreness, and irritation of tendons and joints. This can build inflammation and fluid, thus, restricting blood flow and nerves to the affected areas. (Iowa State University, n.d)

Recommendations:

1. Proper footwear which are shoes that are slip-proof and bend to fit the shape or space to help. This will help to get a grip and help to improve your footing. 
2. Proper climbing gear like the pole climbing gear or thickened foot buckle to help to go up the pole and hold Becky in place to reduce her having to tightly hold the pole for hours until the drone has finished charging. 
3. Finally, Hunter or Becky could have used the additional strap to strap the bag to their person, which would have helped diminish the chances of the bag falling.

Figures 8 and 9 showing proper climbing equipment.

Overall Risk Rating for Ergonomic Hazards- 2×2= 4 (Medium Risk)

The Ergonomic Hazards receive a medium rating risk as the likelihood of these events occurring are high, but the severity does not lead to fatal consequences or damage.

PHYSICAL HAZARDS

Falls are one of the major concerns in the workplace. It can lead to serious injury as well as death. According to the CDC, physical hazards are workplace agents, factors, or circumstances that can cause tissue damage by the transfer of energy from the agent to the person (Physical Hazards 2023). These hazards include falling, electrical injury and noise, among others. Identification of these physical hazards are key to reducing or eradicating their likelihood and occurrence.

1. Loosening Rocks

The first physical hazard is noted at 03:14, where the anchor that was placed in the rocks is beginning to loosen. In the beginning of the movie, the main character Becky is seen face-climbing with her husband Dan and best friend Hunter. Becky can be heard warning Hunter to be careful as the rocks are loose by her elbow. As they continue to ascend, Dan is surprised by a bird flying out of a crevice and misses his opportunity to attach and properly secure his lead anchor to the rocks. This then causes him to fall backward off the cliff, applying extra weight to the rope and his anchor. This situation presents a clear danger to Dan, as the rocks being loose puts him at risk of falling. Indeed, soon after, due to Dan’s continued strain on the rope and anchor, it eventually gives way and Dan plummets to the ground.

Figure 10 is an image of loosening rocks during mountain climb.

2. Electrical Hazards

The second physical hazard took place at 13:14, when Hunter unscrewed the lightbulb and inserted the metal prongs of the charging adapter into the lightbulb socket to charge Beck’s phone. When the girls were in the diner, Hunter stated that she wanted to be seen as more than just a foolish YouTuber, hence the reason she came up with the idea to climb the tower. She also thought that it would be a great way for Becky to begin feeling like herself again as she had been heavily drinking and depressed after her husband Dan passed away. During the discussion, Becky’s phone beeps to notify that the battery is low and asks the waitress if there was any way to charge her phone, to which the waitress responds that electricity isn’t free. In a bid to display that she is also intelligent, Hunter then proceeds to take Becky’s charger and demonstrate to her how to charge her phone from the light socket. This was incredibly dangerous as Hunter could have electrocuted herself or suffered some sort of electrical injury.

Figure 11 is an Image showing Hunter charging her phone from the light socket.

3. Rusted Tower

The third physical hazard is noted at 21:18, where one of the anchors for the tower is noted to be severely rusted and can be seen rattling as they are climbing. As Hunter and Becky are assessing the tower to begin climbing, the entire structure is noted to be rusty along with the anchors that are bolted to the ground to keep the tower securely in place. Hunter begins climbing but Becky is slow to begin as she surveys the tower and takes note of how decrepit it is, but she is swayed by Hunter to ignore it. As they begin their ascent, the anchor begins to rattle and shake as though it is about to snap from the strain on it. In the movie, the tower is noted to be abandoned. It also appears to have been severely affected by the weather over time, as the anchors and cables appear to be severely rusted. This is an incredibly precarious position as there is no way for Becky or Hunter to know when the tower may collapse onto them.

Figure 12 is an image of a rusted tower anchor.

Recommendations:

1. Dan should have heeded Becky’s warning when she was reminding them to be careful as the rocks were loose. This way, he could have taken the time to find a more stable and secure place to anchor so that in the event he fell, the anchor would have stood a better chance of holding. 
2. Dan should not have repeatedly tried to swing towards the cliff face. The added momentum from his constant swinging only served to weaken the stability of the anchor in the rock. Had he kept still and waited as Becky and Hunter tried getting to him, the anchor may have held long enough for them to devise a plan to save him.
3. The restaurant could have installed overhead lighting so that nothing was not placed on the table with the customers. This would ensure that any electrical lighting fixtures along with the cords attached to it were not coming into direct contact with the customers and presenting that risk of getting electrocuted or suffering from an electrical injury. 
4. If lamps were the only source of lighting available, then they should have been placed out of the reach of customers. This would have ensured that customers could not tamper with it like Hunter did, which could have put not only herself but the entire restaurant at risk.
5. As stated, the tower is abandoned. It is also privately owned, and the company should have ensured that it was properly secured so unauthorized persons could not gain access to it. Thrill seekers like Hunter are drawn to these situations in an attempt to create viral videos. Proper security can ensure that persons not authorized to be there are unable to enter and find themselves in risky situations.
6. The company should conduct more frequent checks on the tower as they are responsible for it. Regular checks and assessments would have informed them of the tenuous state of the tower and that it should either be taken down or properly secured so as not to cause injury or harm to life and property.

 Overall Physical Hazard Risk Rating- 3×3 = 9 (High Risk)

The Physical Hazard is rated as a High Risk due to the high likelihood of physical harm throughout the various scenarios caused by this hazard from the movie as well as the high severity that results from its occurrence as physical hazards can cause chronic health conditions and occupational injuries and disabilities.

PSYCHOLOGICAL/ PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARD

Figure 13 is an image of Becky climbing the highest point of the tower in order to charge the drone.

Anything in the design or management of work that increases the risk of work-related stress can be understood as a psychosocial hazard (International Labour Organization, ILO, 1996-2023). From the movie Fall only three will be discussed:

1. Depression

Figures 14 and 15 are images depicting Becky in her depressive state.

The World Health Organization (WHO) (2023) refers to depression as a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods that affects all aspects of life. The WHO also stated that approximately 3.8% of the world’s population experience depression and women are more likely to experience depression than men. In the movie, Becky can be seen struggling to cope after the death of her late husband, Dan. Scenes are shown where she is self-medicating with alcohol as well as taking prescription anxiety pills, all in an effort to combat her diminishing mental state. As she did not accept his loss and had not started the grieving process, one year later she was not going through the stages of grief well. Becky became distant and closed off and felt like a shell of herself as she said that she did not feel whole anymore.

2. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder “occurs in 5-10% of the population and is twice as common in women as in men” (Yehuda, 2002). The likelihood of this psychological hazard posing a risk throughout the movie is very high as Becky witnessed the death of Dan which was profiled throughout the movie and resulted in emotional consequences that were hazardous to her health such as abuse of alcoholic substances and pills. On top of that, Becky watched Hunter die whilst attempting to climb the tower together. The sequences of these events as well as experiencing a traumatic event of being stuck on a tower alone, with no food or help will result in post-traumatic mental stress disorders and cause long-term effects with regard to physical health, decreased social and quality of life as well as mental health disorders. 

3. Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes such as increased blood pressure (American Psychological Association, 2021). Persons who suffer from anxiety disorders may experience recurrent intrusive thoughts or concerns, avoid situations out of worry, as well as experience physical manifestations such as trembling, sweating and increased heart rate. As Becky and Hunter begin to ascend the tower, Becky is noticeably hesitant to do so as she recalls how Dan died, and the tower that Hunter and herself are about to climb is reminiscent of that fateful event due to its considerable height. As they further ascend the tower, Becky is seen at timestamp 25:06 verbalizing that she cannot climb any higher. The overall anxiety-inducing position is shown to be too overbearing for Becky as she strongly closes her eyes and began shaking her head, verbalizing “I can’t…”

Figure 16 showing Becky becoming anxious and refusing to climb further.

Recommendations:

1. Supportive Social Networks- Becky could have allowed her dad to support her during her grieving process after the loss of Dan. As she did not cope healthily with the loss, after climbing the tower and experiencing additional traumatic events, the severity of her PTSD will be higher and have even worse effects on her mental, physical and emotional well-being. A strong supportive social network of friends and family can act as a protective factor against the development or worsening of PTSD as Becky can ask and lean on them for help.
2. Seek Professional Help- Becky should have followed up with a professional therapist so that she was equipped with the mental tools and skills needed to better cope with her anxiety.
3. When Becky became stuck at the top of the tower, utilizing mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing and visualization would have assisted in improving her cognition so that she would be better able to assess the situation at hand. Additionally, it would have aided in reducing her overall level of anxiety.

Overall Psychological/ Psychosocial Risk Rating- 3×2=6 (High Risk)

The Rating Risk for Psychological Hazards is a High Risk as it is a likely scenario with high psychological impact due to the trauma Becky experienced from being stuck on the tower with no help and watching one of her best friends die, in addition to the previous trauma Becky experienced from losing Dan. The effects would also be exacerbated due to her use of alcohol and anxiety medication during the movie.

TABLE 1 – RISK ASSESSMENT

TABLE 2 – RISK EVALUATION OF HAZARDS DETECTED IN THE MOVIE

What hazards?	Who might be harmed and how?	Risk Rating: Likelihood, Severity	Actions to reduce risk ALARP	Person responsible for action	Due by date	Signed off as done on date
1) Combination of alcohol and anxiety medication	Becky	2×3=6(Medium Risk)	Intervention and detoxification.  Psychological help.	Becky’s father	20th November, 2023	Becky’s father
2) Lack of Drinking Water	Becky and Hunter	3×3=9 (High Risk)	Securing water bottles	Hunter	20th November, 2023	Becky
3) Urinary Tract infection; infected wound	Becky	3×3=9 (High Risk)	A first aid kit should have been in the bag	Hunter	20th November, 2023	Becky
4) Rust/ Corrosion Inhibitors causing Inhalation Risks	Becky and Hunter	3×2=6 (Medium Risk)	Wearing Personal Protective Equipment: gloves, masks	Becky due to lack of preparedness and PPE	20th November, 2023	Becky
5)Bioaccumulation of toxins causing Health Risks	Becky	3×3=9 (High Risk)	Packing food and tying the bag to the tower and not platform	Becky	20th November, 2023	Becky
6) Inhalation of Rust Particles	Becky and Hunter	3×2=6 (Medium Risk)	Wearing Personal Protective Equipment, Avoiding contact with face and nose.	Hunter	20th November, 2023	Becky
7)Awkward posture/ Poor posture	Becky and Hunter	2×2=4 (Medium Risk)	Use extendable sticks to reach the far objects.	Hunter	20th November, 2023.	Becky
8)Static posture- holding pole	Becky	2×2=4 (Medium Risk)	Pole Climbing Gear, Thicken Foot Buckle	Hunter	20th November, 2023.	Becky
9)Forceful exertion- Lifting heavy	Becky and Hunter	3×3=9 (High Risk)	Wear the proper rubber shoes that are flexible to fit the space.	Hunter	20th November, 2023.	Becky
10)Loose rock	Dan	3×3=9 (High Risk)	Reducing movement to limit strain on the anchor attached to the rocks.	Dan	20th November, 2023	Dan
11)Electrocution	Hunter	2×2=4(Medium Risk)	Becky should have paid to charge her phone safely.	Julia Mitchell (Diner owner)	20th November, 2023	Becky
12)Structural collapse	Becky and Hunter	3×3=9(High Risk)	The tower should have been better isolated to prevent access.	Howard D. Elias (Chairman)	20th November, 2023	Howard D. Elias (Chairman)
13) Anxiety	Becky	3×2=6 (High Risk)	Becky should have sought professional help from a licensed therapist to better cope with her anxiety.	Becky	20th November, 2023	Becky
14) Psychological Post Traumatic Stress Disorder	Becky	3×3=9 (High Risk)	If Becky sought assistance from her family for her grief after losing Dan, her ptsd after the tower climb would not be as severe as it is due to the unfortunate sequence of events.	Becky	20th November, 2023	Becky’s Father
15) Depression	Becky	3×2=6 (High Risk)	Visit a psychiatrist	Becky	20th November, 2022	Becky

• All due dates state November 20th as the characters from the movie have passed and the event is in the past tense.

DIMENSIONS OF QUALITY

Throughout the movie, Becky is seen using an iPhone in an attempt to gain cell service and get help when she and her friend, Hunter, get stuck at the top of the tower. However, there was no cell service as the tower was located in a remote area. At the end of the movie, Becky is able to survive by climbing to the lower communication dish and sending a text message to her father to alert emergency services after placing the iPhone in Hunter’s shoe and shoving it into her corpse, off the tower. This section of our Blog will assess the iPhone as a product in accordance with Garvin’s 8 Dimensions of Quality which is a framework proposed for strategic analysis.

Figure 17 is an image of the object chosen for the dimensions of quality.

1. Performance– Size, battery life and network connectivity play an important role in the hardware design of mobile phones which can affect their performance. According to Deloitte (2015), new devices will benefit from efficiency improvements in the components that draw power from batteries (mainly processors, radio transmitters and screens). Additionally, network operators advertise the fact that their network can reduce battery consumption due to lower transmission drain on customers’ batteries. In the movie, Becky’s phone was last seen being charged in the restaurant by Hunter. After they proceeded to climb the tower, resulting in them becoming trapped, the phone lasted the entire duration of the ordeal. This extensive battery life allowed Becky one last life-saving effort to contact someone for help as she inserted her phone in Hunter’s sneaker then in her body and thrust it off the tower. This directly depicts the phone accomplishing one of its core functions of performance.  Additionally, the fact that she reduced her usage of the phone aided in the longevity of the battery life. 

Figure 18 depicts Becky inserting the mobile phone into Hunter’s shoe.

2. Features– Mobile devices today come outfitted with a variety of features ranging from camera quality to built-in security, with emphasis on picture quality and expansive screen displays (Schick, 2023).  Smartphones are also equipped with applications and adaptable characteristics that increase their versatility. In the movie, in an effort to contact someone for help, we see where Becky is able to connect her phone to the handheld control for the drone. The phone’s added features allowed her to be able to guide the drone wirelessly. Additionally, the expansive screen display allowed her to clearly see what the drone was showing her. The phone camera’s resolution was also exceptional despite having a low phone battery. At 53:05, Becky can be seen zooming in on the video of her wedding on her phone. With the high camera resolution, when she zoomed in on the video, she was able to clearly see Hunter’s facial expression, allowing her to realize that Dan and Hunter had been having an extramarital affair. 

Figure 19 shows Becky controlling the drone with her mobile phone.

Figure 20 shows Becky zooming in on the video of Hunter on her mobile phone.

Figure 21 shows a wide-angle shot of Becky controlling the drone with her phone.

3. Reliability – Cell phones would normally perform well if there were no obstacles to block their service as the signal triangulates between the cell tower and the recipient.  Being in a remote area, at such a height severely affected this triangulation of the signal.  As altitude increases, signal decreases and other factors such as proximity to obstacles and other cell towers will affect reception as cell tower reception is made to point downwards. Thus, Becky’s only option was to send the phone to the base of the tower, in Hunter’s body, to get a signal to her father’s phone. The cellphone remained a reliable aid as it was able to send the signal after being dropped from such a great height, after so many days. However, the number of hours that it was actually used is highly questionable since a fully charged battery can give up to seventeen (17) hours of usage. This is also dependent on the age of the battery, how the phone is used, how bright the screen is, and other factors.  Also, a great deal of the film, after Hunter’s death, occurred in Becky’s mind and therefore, usage of the phone, and time-lapse, is questionable.

4. Conformance– The iPhone would not have made it to the store to be purchased if it did not conform to Apple’s product standards.  Apple not only designs its phones but it is also involved in every step of the manufacturing process, from sourcing materials to designing the manufacturing process and shipping.  Its quality controls are very secretive, and it does not allow a lot of tolerance for mistakes to ensure customer satisfaction as it is viewed as a luxury brand.  This may create a high-stress work environment, but it ensures that every product with the Apple logo conforms to a certain standard.  The iPhone in this movie certainly would have conformed to that standard.  The fact that it was chosen by persons who do rock climbing implies that it would hold up to those rigors.  Apple’s website advertises that it would operate at 3000m, includes a compass and indicates location.

    Image Sourced from http://www.apple.support.com

5. Durability– The Durability of the iPhone used in the movie can be seen as the device is built from materials such as stainless steel and durable glass and can also be described as durable due to it being drop resistant as Becky had to drop the phone in order to gain cell service and text her dad to get emergency help. Additionally, the phone held up in various environmental factors and the battery lasted for the prolonged period that Becky and Hunter were stuck on the tower, therefore contributing to its durability. Throughout the movie, the iPhone was also seen to be used in third-party accessories such as cases and selfie sticks which can further enhance its durability by providing additional protection.

Fig 23 and 24 display Becky’s mobile phone.

6. Serviceability – The Apple iPhone has not only made a meticulous effort to generate a luxury product, but it has ensured that it can be serviced through multiple avenues. Firstly, iPhone owners have numerous features on the phone that monitor its performance and overall ‘health’ such as battery life span processing speed, and storage capacity. The company offers AppleCare+ in some countries which gives battery service coverage (replacement) if the product is faulty. It offers specialized service at all of its Apple Stores or Authorized Service Providers; you can mail it in or even make a phone call to an Apple Support Advisor for help. Many sites are available, starting with Apple’s own https://support.apple.com which gives advice on how to go about obtaining service or checking certain aspects of the phone. For the daring and knowledgeable, a repair manual is provided at https;//support.apple.com/self-service-repair, and parts and tools may be ordered to proceed with your attempt. Apple has even remained conscientious about the generation of waste and offers credit when a replaced part is returned to an Apple Service Provider, once the service extends to that country. Service is also available for iPhones from Store locations that are past the warranty period and offers service to older models of their iPhones. Lastly, I will never stress the multitude of websites by Apple fans who offer advice and videos on how to repair the various iPhones such as http://www.pocket-lint.com/phones/news/apple. Needless to say, an iPhone is extremely serviceable.

Figure 25 is an image showing phones are able to be fixed.

7. Aesthetics– The aesthetic of an iPhone can be described as having a modern but sleek and minimalist design that is held consistently throughout Apple’s product line. The iPhone incorporates high-quality and premium materials such as stainless glass that gives the device a premium look and feel whilst also being thin and lightweight which contributes to its ease of use. The design choice of the phone features an uncluttered appearance that maximizes screen space to enhance the visual experience for users.

Figure 26 is an image depicting great phone quality.

8. Perceived Quality– The perceived quality of the product in this movie is very high. Becky was seen clinging to her phone as she got relief recalling memories of her deceased husband. This was her way of feeling like he was still around and trying to gain closure as his death was unexpected and she did not get to say goodbye. She was seen calling her deceased husband’s phone to hear his voice again and just to have a conversation with him one more time. Becky used her phone as an outlet for her pain from her loss. Even when she found out that her husband cheated on her with her best friend, she still desperately treasured her phone although it could not call for help as it did not have service. The high perceived quality was due to the fact that Becky tied all of her pain to the phone, using it as a physical replacement for her deceased husband. In this regard, the phone took on a human-like quality therefore increasing the perceived value and quality of the phone.

Figures 27 and 28 are images depicting Becky clinging to the memory of her deceased husband.

CONCLUSION

Many of the hazards in this movie were unique to the location and the situation, such as having to kill and eat a vulture; while some were relatable to the general public, such as the anxiety-related alcoholism.  Yet, the emotions behind the scenarios and their decisions may be relatable.   Attempting such a climb without alerting someone of their intentions indicated immaturity and lack of experience, as that is a foundational rule for climbers, along with considering fitness level, having a backup plan, and health considerations.  Placing themselves in such a high-risk situation solely to garner improved social media attention was irresponsible, and doing so in revealing, inappropriate clothing indicated immaturity.  If the intention was to give the perception of strength and resilience in the face of a challenge, having oneself objectified decreased that image. 

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