Wolf Creek (2005)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Greg Mclean

Writer:

Greg Mclean (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Based on true events

Plot:

Stranded backpackers in remote Australia fall prey to a murderous bushman who offers to fix their car, then takes them captive.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Outback | Stranded | Australian Outback | Crater

Awards:

3 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

John Jarratt	...	Mick Taylor
Cassandra Magrath	...	Liz Hunter
Kestie Morassi	...	Kristy Earl
Nathan Phillips	...	Ben Mitchell
Gordon Poole	...	Old Man
Guy O'Donnell	...	Car Salesman
Phil Stevenson	...	Mechanic
Geoff Revell	...	Petrol Attendant
Andy McPhee	...	Bazza
Aaron Sterns	...	Bazza's Mate
Michael Moody	...	Bazza's Old Mate
Andrew Reimer	...	Flashback Dad
Vicki Reimer	...	Flashback Mum
Isabella Reimer	...	Flashback Girl
David Rock	...	Irish Backpacker

MPAA:

Rated R for strong gruesome violence, and for language.

Runtime:

99 min | 104 min (unrated version)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:16 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Norway:18 | USA:Unrated (unrated DVD version) | Germany:18 | France:-16 | Philippines:R-18 | Mexico:C (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Italy:VM18 (tv rating) | UK:18 | Finland:K-18 | Ireland:18

Filming Locations:

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation, The

Trivia:

Even though writer/director Greg Mclean did not write the role of Mick for anyone in particular, John Jarratt was the first and only actor to audition for the part. Jarratt was well known in Australia at the time as the host of a gardening show, but he was also a recognized actor. Mclean invited Jarratt to audition after he had seen him in a play called Dead Heart. Ironically, Jarratt was only working as a replacement for the regular star Brian Brown, who was ill the night Mclean attended.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In shots from the back seat towards the driver's seat, both the tachometer and speedometer read zero - the car is in neutral and being pulled from the front while the characters are acting. The car is not running or being "driven" by the actors.

Quotes:

Mick Taylor: [pouring water] Nothing like rain water from the Top-End.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

Soundtrack:

Eagle Rock

Solid Oz genre flick

Wolf Creek has a completely standard basic story for this kind of genre movie - travelers in isolated location encounter sadistic nut. Despite this, it's what writer/director Greg McLean does with the details which makes a difference.

The outback locations are rendered with a nice eye and evoke a sense of spooky isolation - anything could happen to you out here and no-one would know, much less be able to help. There is also the much discussed 'dark side of Crocodile Dundee' element - frankly, I can't believe it's taken so long for someone to conjure this one up, and McLean clearly delights in stabbing a knife through the heart of the mythical Aussie archetype. I think he's actually gotten to an uncomfortable, close-to-the-bone truth about the psyche of certain Aussie males, and John Jarret is eerily similar to the kind of individual one would encounter in many a country pub down under.

The fact that this is an Australian film also makes it a rare bird indeed. For some unfathomable reason, the Oz industry rarely does genre, and when it does, usually doesn't do it well. With this in mind, Wolf Creek is something of a breath of fresh air. Yes, it hews pretty closely to the codes and rules of its genre, but for the most part it does it well, and for my money, what works about the film is strong enough to make some of the weaker plot moments forgivable.

Will Gibson's HD camera-work is impressive, maintaining a consistent style from start to finish, aided by solid editing, score and sound design. Now maybe people will stop whining about how 'we can't make genre films here' and we might see some imagination and variety creep into Australian cinema.