Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with another review of the Aussie low-budget horror flick that has been gathering lots of steam on the festival circuit. The word is quite good on this and I really like this review... it sets up the film, doesn't give away much of the twists or turns and is fairly level-headed. There's worry about the hype overshadowing the movie and I've seen that happen to many indie genre flicks, so will try to keep my personal expectations in check. Here's the review! Enjoy!
Hi Harry,
Hope you're well. First time reviewer etc, etc. Caught a screening of WOLF CREEK tonight in London's West End tonight. I'd seen a few reviews before going in and, according to what I'd read, was expecting something pretty dark and extreme. Security was tight (maybe because of the recent bombings over here) and all camera phones were confiscated. Jesus, what the hell were we going in to see??
What happens? Well, we get a forty-odd minute set-up with Brit backpackers Liz (Cassandra Magrath) and Kristy (Kestie Morassi) travelling across the Aussie outback with Ben (Nathan Phillips). They get pissed, tell scary stories and bond. It's all very naturalistic and enjoyable because you know something bad is on the horizon. They stop off at Wolf Creek, a tourist spot, and their car breaks down. Night falls and they're scared. There's no-one around for miles...or so they think. A truck arrives and amiable Aussie Mick (John Jarratt) offers to drive them back to his place to fix their car. He reminds you a bit of Crocodile Dundee (and even quotes a line or two). He seems harmless enough, right? Wrong. They accept the ride and that's where the scares begin...
It's a long set-up but it's worth it because you really get to know and like the three main characters. They feel like real people. When the movie kicks into another gear, it never lets up til the end. I'd read that the gore was a lot nastier than in recent horrors like Switchblade Romance/High Tension, but it's not. Not by a long shot. There is blood but writer/director Greg McLean actually shows some restraint, which was a welcome surprise. There are some brutal torture scenes but I was expecting much, much worse. To be honest, the movie wasn't as scary as I'd been lead to believe and, in a way, that was a wee bit disappointing. I hope Wolf Creek isn't over-hyped. It's a decent horror, and kinda reminded me of a dogme version of The Hitcher in places, but it's not the extreme masterpiece you've been reading about. Another grumble was it ended a bit abruptly.
Performances and production were strong, considering the low budget. Oh, and the cinematography looked great, considering it was shot on HD. I predict Greg McLean to get snapped up by Hollywood soon and look forward to his next feature. I'd give it a 3/5.
Some call me The Movie Goblin
