DVD available at Amazon.com
Writer-Director:
Greg Mclean
Cast:
John Jarratt……….Mick Taylor
Nathan Phillips……….Ben Mitchell
Cassandra Magrath……….Liz Hunter
Kestie Morassi……….Kristy Earl
Dimension presents Wolf Creek. Running time: 104 minutes. No MPAA rating (intended for adults). Available on DVD: April 11, 2006.
The movie:
How does one truthfully judge the quality of a horror movie? Should the genre and movies that preceded it be taken into consideration, or must the flick be weighed against the visual art as a whole? Questions with wiggle room for argument.
I’m not going to sugarcoat my sentiments. Wolf Creek is garbage horror. It’s amazing what passes for horror nowadays. If you can call it that. The movie’s message is pure and simple: To document the methodical nature of a misogynist as he brutally tortures and mutilates women. At one point he severs the fingers of a victim and begins to simulate sex. Then, he goes as far as to jam a buck knife into her entrails – ending at her spine – and calls his latest debauchery “a head on the stick.”
If this is a spoiler for some, well, at least you know what to expect. Your most vivid imaginations of the above passage could possibly resemble what is depicted on screen. Renowned “thumb” critic Roger Ebert gave this picture a resounding zero stars. In the pantheon of awful cinema it joins the likes of Caligula and Police Academy in his “I hated, hated, hated, this move” showcase. Considering his dislike for the movie he went over to Rotten Tomatoes to read other reactions. At the time of his review Wolf Creek had an 82 percent “fresh” rating. Now, however, it has a resounding 52 percent “rotten” rating.
Here are some differentiating opinions. “The even pacing and attention to character detail is what makes that harrowing second half so effective” (Ken Fox, TV Guide). “An unusually crisp and boldly shot Texas Chainsaw Massacre knockoff” (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly). “The darkest lump of coal ever dropped down a moviegoer’s throat on Christmas Day, bought by the Weinsteins for $3.5 million. Next time, could we get a gift certificate instead?” (John Beifuss).
The three blurbs tell us a few things. One, apparently there was some semblance of character detail I missed or didn’t pick up on. And two, as counter programming to more appealing Christmastime entertainment, this horror flick opened on Christmas Day. Not sure what Dimension Films expected to happen, but, taking into account the movie’s $16 million dollar gross, it still came out ahead.
Don’t get me wrong about my distaste for Wolf Creek. I like horror. This reemergence of “grind house horror” – exploitation cinema from the seventies – is a welcomed change of pace, compared to the PG-13 scares teenagers flock to see. But consider Saw and its sequel. The villain, named Jigsaw, is a serial killer, yet is never present when the victim dies. He constructs imaginative killing devices, and gives the would be prey clues on how to escape. In some ways his puzzles are like morality plays; deepest secrets and imperfections are brought to the surface. The idea is that the abused victims, if successful in escaping, will right a wrong and be better human beings.
Now compare Jigsaw to the eccentric bushman Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). Mick is not the demonic slasher that we have seen many times before. He’s a backwoodsy man who takes pleasure in torturing others; though his demeanor would beg to differ. Mick is good-humored, coming up on three hikers who can’t start their car. It’s dead. The hikers want to travel north, but he’s going south. The backpackers agree to the tow. Grave mistake. According to Quentin Tarantino, “John Jarrett delivers a performance that’s destined to go down as one of the great horror film heavies of the last 25 years.” Well, even though he’s a misogynist, his character does comes off as genuine.
Acknowledging the fact that the movie is based on actual events at the onset does not single out Wolf Creek from other horror pictures. Yes, this is inspired by Australia’s “Backpacker Killer” who murdered seven backpackers in the ’90s. But other horrormeisters have used true events and folklore to tell their stories as well.
Writer-director Greg McLean, I must admit, shows his low budget moviemaking skills in the making of Wolf Creek. Still, the movie crosses the line between schlock and depravity and creates an exaggerated plot, filled with stupidity – wrecking an escape vehicle on purpose – and obvious flubs – If the car cannot start, then why are its lights on while being towed? If the intention was to make a film with violence for the sake of violence, well the filmmakers succeeded.
Like John McNaughton’s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, the horror is gritty, almost like a documentary, and avoids thrilling music cues to induce terror. The atmosphere is tense and the vastness of Australia’s outback makes the viewer take notice. Because, even if the backpackers were to escape, where would they go?
Score: 1/10
The DVD:
THE VIDEO
(Presented in 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen)
This Australian film was shot on High Definition but the transfer almost mimics the quality of film stock. The shadows and lighting used makes you almost want to forget about the horrific decadence the movie showcases. The faces maintain their flesh tone colors, thus making the rest of the picture look lifelike. Probably the best depiction of colors, purples and oranges, are for the static shots of the sky at dawn and dusk.
Score: 7.5/10
THE AUDIO
(English and French Dolby Digital 5.1)
Optional subtitles are available in English and Spanish while you listen to the 5.1 sound track. The audio is good, but lacking in rear channel support. The surrounds are effective, especially the shotgun and rifle blasts by bushwhacked Mick. Atmospheric viewing aside, the dialogue is clear, and the accents are easy to follow.
Score: 7/10
SPECIAL FEATURES: Extensive Making-Of and Commentary!!
We begin with the commentary track with writer-direct Greg McLean, executive producer Matt Hearn and actresses Cassandra Magrath and Kestie Morassi. There’s a little too much emphasis on how much fun it was shooting the inspired-by-actual-events tale. The two actresses are pretty much giddy about watching the film again, but McLean does reveal some interesting tidbits. The best revelation is about actor John Jarratt. Most recognizable from the chick friendly Aussie show McCloud’s Daughters, he stepped away from the show for seven weeks to prepare himself for the role of Mick. Many of those weeks he spent in the outback getting accustomed to the environment. No wonder his characteristics mimic those of a demented Crocodile Dundee.
The Making of Wolf Creek sounds like a simplistic, EPK featurette. Instead, it is a 49-minute documentary that examines the production of the film. It is divided into sections, but unfortunately it doesn’t have a scene selections option. The behind-the-scenes material is excellent. There must have been a guy on set whose only job was to go around shooting stuff. Talking head interviews and snippets from the movie was intercut with the rest of the footage. Topics include make-up, special effects (see how squibs are used when a character gets shot), and a comparison between HD and Mini DV compositions.
Rounding out the extras is a brief deleted scene called “G’Day” and the film’s original theatrical trailer.
The extras, while surprisingly impressive, are lacking. Taking into account the movie is based on actual events, how about a documentary that explores the inspiration for Wolf Creek? The prologue and epilogue graphics, in which facts and figures about the number of persons who go missing in Australia each year are given, and the investigations into the death of Liz Hunter and Kristy Earl is touched upon, leaves many questions that I’m sure a featurette could have answered.
Score: 6/10
| InsidePulse’s Ratings for Wolf Creek | |
