Review of Wolf Creek

Introduction

I usually begin most reviews of this nature with a disclaimer that I am not a fan of horror movies. That opinion has been mitigated of late, as I`ve had the chance to experience more that world cinema has to offer. I can now, somewhat sheepishly say that I am not a fan of most horror movies, especially the repetitive and derivative pap that Hollywood is most apt to produce of late. Which is why I was actually eager to watch Wolf Creek, a horror movie made in Australia. It offers the chance to see an original take on the slasher myth, and possibly be a movie that also has some genuine shocks. It also offers that merchandiser`s dream of being based on true events (and not uniquely so, as the release of this film was delayed because of the unrelated Falconio murder trial).

Three backpackers, Ben, Liz and Kristy are driving through Australia`s barren outback, seeing the sights and taking in the atmosphere of the desolate isolation. Prominent among their stop-off points is Wolf Creek Crater, a prehistoric meteorite crater that dominates the landscape. Making their way back, they find that their watches have stopped, and their car is completely dead. Being stuck in the middle of nowhere is not a pleasant prospect, but when a local named Mick Taylor shows up, offering to tow their car to his camp where it can be repaired, the nightmare truly begins.

Video

Wolf Creek gets a 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer that at first glance looks absolutely stunning. Taken from a purely digital Hi-def source, there is none of the worries about film grain or print damage to contend with, and the image has a clarity and purity of colour that is done justice to by the transfer. However there are a few problems that become apparent. Darker scenes aren`t as clear, and the more panoramic shots lack depth. I also noticed one instance of digital banding, something I had hitherto only associated with animation on DVD. There is also the Blair Witch-esque shaky camera and extreme close-ups that seem almost obligatory for movies of this nature nowadays, but which I am getting quite tired of now.

Audio

You get a choice of DD 5.1 or DD 2.0 Stereo English tracks. The dialogue is clear, although initially overwhelmed by the surround. It settles down quickly enough, and the film quickly finds a decent balance between dialogue, ambience and spot effects. I did notice a badly placed layer change, right in the middle of some creepy music, and also subtitles are criminally absent on this disc.

Features

A few years ago, I guess the temptation would have been to cram everything onto one disc, and it could have been done here. A ninety-minute movie, a commentary and an hour or so of extra material would fit onto one disc. I guess that the economies of DVD production mean that a second disc is no longer an extravagance, and studios can concentrate on maximising the film`s presentation quality.

Disc 1 gets the film to itself, with the addition of the theatrical trailer and the audio commentary. Director/Writer Greg McClean, Producer Matt Hearn and actors Cassandra Magrath and Kestie Morassi contribute to a fairly standard making of commentary that is informative and light-hearted.

Disc 2`s prominent feature is the 50-minute Making Of Documentary. It has behind the scenes footage, clips from the film and interviews with the cast and crew. It`s pretty detailed and enjoyable if similar to half a hundred other such documentaries.

There are three deleted scenes on this disc running to a total of 6 minutes. One of them could have been left in, but it could also have literally been overkill.

Meet Mick Taylor: An Interview With John Jarrat lasts 21 minutes, and the actor talks about creating this film`s memorable villain, and the experience of making the movie. He`s a stereotypical straight talking Aussie and that makes this piece quite refreshing.

Finally, there is the Teaser Trailer, trailers for Switchblade Romance and Dead Man`s Shoes, and an exclusive clip from Cry Wolf, one of those Hollywood horror movies that I mentioned.

Conclusion

I couldn`t help but feel a little disappointed with Wolf Creek. It`s a Slasher movie that adds little new to the genre. Having said that, it is a remarkably effective horror film that typifies the best of the genre, and I`d be lying if I said that my heart didn`t race, or I wasn`t at the edge of my seat. Wolf Creek does what it sets out to do, provide a relentless thrill ride and it does it exceedingly well. What is refreshing about this film is that it refuses to pander to the supernatural, or venture into the unreal. Most Hollywood films of this type would attribute arcane motives to the monster wielding the blade, and you would be guaranteed another appearance of said villain when you should be sure that he is dead. It`s practically a rule of teen horror flicks, but here the villain of the piece is unashamedly human. Admittedly he is the worst of humanity, a man who takes pleasure of kidnapping, torturing, killing and raping tourists, although not necessarily in that order. The film follows the rules of the real world, and that added realism makes it just that extra bit more stomach churning.

Mick Taylor, as played by John Jarrat is a chilling villain, he initially comes across as a jovial outdoorsman with an odd sense of humour, heavily referencing Crocodile Dundee albeit with a psychotic streak, but his ability to switch from humour to menace in the blink of an eye is startling. This sort of film hinges on the performance of the villain, and Mick Taylor is a villain that sticks in the mind long after the end credits have rolled. The other side of the coin are the victims, and Nathan Phillips as Ben, Kestie Morassi as Kristy and Cassandra Magrath as Liz are all spot on. Their performances also walk that fine line between realism and entertainment, and there are one or two scenes that push the envelope. One in particular, where Liz spies on Mick tormenting and abusing the captive Kristy comes close to the edge. As mentioned in the commentary, it`s the point in the film where audiences were apt to walk out of the theatre, and I was tempted to switch off the disc myself.

There were a couple of aspects that did disappoint me though. While the film is refreshingly light on cliché, and even managed to surprise me a few times, these teens are still the stereotypical `stupid teen from a horror movie` teens. Once or twice I was tempted to yell at the screen as they made the same mistake that thousands of scream teens have made. When the bad guy is down, you stab him repeatedly, you don`t just run away and let him get up again. Also, the film is pretty one-dimensional and lacking in subtext. This bad guy was psychotic for the fun of it, and not too interested in getting too closely acquainted with his victims.

It depends on what you want from your horror movies I expect, and I think Wolf Creek will satisfy most demands for a scary 90 minutes. It has a creepy and memorable villain, plenty of gruesome moments, and is the best recent film of its genre that I have seen. One thing though, you`ll never be able to watch Crocodile Dundee again in the same light.