BY ALEXIS HOSTETTER

The Fallout is a new 2022 film that completely took over my FYP on TikTok. I typically don’t watch new movies–unless of course they are revivals or continuations of older movies I love. The Fallout just so happened to be an exception. The movie was released on January 27, 2022 on HBO Max. It stars Jenna Ortega as Vada and Maddie Ziegler as Mia. 

The movie branches over the feeling and trauma that a school shooting can bring. Growing up in a public school system, we practice drills a lot for the potential of a school shooting arising. But we never consider how we would feel if it actually happens. The Fallout didn’t even feel like a movie for some; it was so relatable that it became an experience. 

Throughout the movie, Vada begins to distance herself from her family and builds a secret friendship with Mia Reed. The friendship allows her to expand on things she wasn’t experiencing before. While most people believe she was hiding from her feelings, it was a truly powerful moment to watch her finally participate in therapy and be honest with her mom. 

Only out for a week, the movie has gained a lot of publicity. Everyone on social media is talking about it. Is it truly worth the watch? 100%. The movie pushes so many emotions onto the viewers. Emotions such as sadness, happiness, longing, anger, and more. The experience makes you empathize with people who have gone through the situation before, and expands your point of view on this topic. It shows adults how it could feel for a teenager to go to school and experience this. It shows that it can affect adults too. It easily became one of my favorite movies and prompted me to rewatch it.