Two young girls, LizLiz reviews (Cassandra Magrath) and Kristy (Kestie Morassi), are on an Australian road-trip with Ben (Nathan Phillips) a city boy from Sydney. One of their destinations is the massive meteor crater located in the Wolf Creek National Park. After making the hike to the center of the crater, they return to find that their car will not start. Seeing as they are in the middle of nowhere with a storm quickly approaching, they decide to camp out in the car until morning. As night envelopes them, their luck turns as they are discovered by a friendly bushman named Mick (John Jarratt) who offers to tow them to his garage where he would fix their car and they could be on their way. With no other viable options to choose from, the three decide to take Mick up on his offer but once back at Mick’s camp, these three youths find that Mick is not that nice of a guy. In fact, he is the most vile, evil human being they will ever have the displeasure of meeting.

Based loosely on the Backpack Murders of AustraliaAustralia reviews, Greg McLean has created an extremely brutal, unflinching film that displays a serial killer that ranks with some of cinemas most repulsive characters. “Wolf Creek”Wolf Creek reviews deviates from the normal framework a film like this could have easily draped itself over by taking a formulaic slasher route. But McLean decides to go the  “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” route by taking his sweet time before showing the film’s true colors. The two girls are convincing and actually seem to have a past history, displaying different personalities and fleshed out to a point that their actions seem natural and believable. Ben, the lone male in this group, is just as convincing as a happy-go-lucky type of guy who just wants to make sure the girls have a good time, as evident by his always trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

But not surprisingly, it is the protagonist of  “Wolf Creek” who steals the show. Greg McLean could have created a menace copied from recent slasher\horror films. A killer that spouts one-liners as if on stage at a comedy amateur hour, or even have the audience rooting for him because they could care less about the characters he is killing. But the character of Mick is one nasty customer. He is utterly despicable and repugnant. He is also played with uncanny believability using a combination of serial killers wrapped up in a Crocodile DundeeCrocodile Dundee reviews personality. Mick is one of the most realistic serial killers to be played on screen for some time, and really makes you think of the fate that has befell the victims of some of the worlds real-life monsters.

The cinematography of Will Gibson is strong and captures the open, desolate beauty of the Australian Outback and its ability to dwarf, engulf and hide anyone who decides to venture into it. These natural features effectively cut off our characters from any semblance of civilization with the only obstacles between them and help is the expansive, desolate landscape. This nightmare scenario turns even worse when later, as night falls, our victims are chased into this endless terrain without the benefit of direction or light. No aliens chasing a hapless crew through endless corridors of a space-ship – no psycho wearing goalie masks chasing nubile females throughout a house – but rather a bushman tracking his prey with an ease and comfort that only a seasoned hunter displays. This attribute makes the character of Mick even more terrifying and detestable as it is clear that he is enjoying every single second of the torture he deals out. The repulsion sinks deeper when the knowledge hits that this monster has done this many, many times before.

With some extreme violence and a ‘head on a stick’ scene that will surely make the most jaded horror fan wince a little,  “Wolf Creek” delivers the goods. Some will argue that too much time is spent building up to the “good stuff”, as so much time is spent with the trio and their relationship with each other, that McLean could have just as easily nixed Mick altogether, through in a hipster soundtrack and finished off the movie as an indie love story. But McLean uses the dynamics of their relationship and their personalities to lull the viewer into a since of safety. A film of this nature rarely takes the time to flesh out the players and try to get the viewer to actually connect with them, to possibly even like them. In doing this, the time that was used for character development is well spent and extremely effective as it makes watching some of the events that unfold even more horrifying. This is aided by McLean breaking some of the guidelines movie audiences have been accustomed to when watching this genre of horror. Not content in delivering yet another by-the-numbers serial killer movie, McLean makes sure that the viewer is never quite sure exactly what to expect next and the way the events unfold may surprise even the most avid horror movie fan.

Critics have made numerous comments on the apparent misogynist slant of  “Wolf Creek”, that the creator of this film seemed to take delight in the nightmarish way the females are treated. While it is true that the events these three youth face in the movie are horrific, and at times, offensive – but for anyone who follows the details of the cases that this movie is based on, they are also quite realistic. Check it out if you get a chance. I have added it our store where all the titles we review here reside if available. Let me know what you thought of it.

Rating:

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Monster of FlorenceThe Monster of Florence reviews (dreamindemon.com)
• Heavenly CreaturesHeavenly Creatures reviews (dreamindemon.com)
• At Close RangeAt Close Range reviews (dreamindemon.com)

Share

Wolf Creek - 2005 - More Information

Director: Greg McLean
Writer: Greg McLean
Actors: John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi, Nathan Phillips
Genre: Horror - Thriller
MPAA: Rated R for strong gruesome violence, and for language.
Company: Dimension Films

Well what do you know - this product is available in our Amazon Crime Lab! If you were thinking of not stealing it, buy it from us and help out the site in the process. You'll sleep better. Check out other related items at Amazon or items in our Amazon Store. If we have reviewed it, and it is available via Amazon, it'll be in there.