Wolf Creek (2005) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

Australia 2005
Director: Greg McLean
Cast: Nathan Phillips, John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi, Gordon Poole
Rating: R
Release Date: December 25th 2005
Running Time: 1 hour 44 minutess

The Movie Review

Wolf Creek film still 1


WOLF CREEK
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

There is so many things that you would love about Australia, but there's one thing that is probably the most famous or notorious thing about Australia...Her wildlife! Not only outside the house but also inside the house. You name it, spider, snakes (abundant), crocodile, the cutey joey (kangaroo), even there's the great white shark that is only live in two places in the world, in South Africa and in Australia. Now, what would it be if it turns out that Australia also has another threat for mankind, the most dangerous one...Yup, I'm talking about a serial killer. And a real one.

This is the premise of the movie Wolf Creek. Is it a fake story? Absolutely not, at least according to the filmmakers, this movie is based on true events. Although rumor has it that the story was fictional although it's inspired by several true events of backpacker abduction in Aussie. Now this inspired story is already very intriguing, it means all the filmmakers have to do is execute the movie nicely. How did they come up with it? Wolf Creek is absolutely disturbing! Thrilling and chilling and captivatingly terrifying.

In Australia, two young women from Britain, Liz Hunter (Magrath) and Kristy Earl (Kestie Morassi) are planning to enjoy Wolf Creek crater with their new friend, an Australian named Ben Mitchell (Philips). Ben drives them to the spot and manages to develop a closer relationship with them. On their way back, their wristwatches are strangely stop working and even their car too. The three of them start to panic, recalling that they are absolutely out of nowhere and would probably take several days to walk back to the nearest town/civilization. At night, while resting on their broke car, a man named Mick Taylor (Jarratt) with a friendly gesture and cheerful smile approach them and offer them help, and probably even taking them to the nearest place where they could really have rest. What those three young people next decide would be the most decisive moment in their life.

Now let me just inform you a bit, if you ever go to Aussie, then one of the most exciting things to do in that Kangaroo country is to go bushwalking. Enjoying how beautiful nature is while having fun with your friends. Forget shopping, except for souvenirs, bushwalking is great. Wolf Creek is an adapted name for the movie, the real one is called Wolfe Creek, and is one of the largest crater created by a crashing meteor on earth.

As for the film itself, like I said, absolutely a real horror. Wolf Creek gradually brings the tension into your mind; you would feel disturbed slowly but surely. Little unimportant scenes are just effective to the tension-building and are solid parts of the whole storyline itself. And if there's one thing beautiful about Wolf Creek is the landscape, which means great Cinematography! Eerie but still beautiful.

The dialogues are also smart, you know...they talk about and say something that is ordinary to people their age, it doesn't sound professional at all, which is good. And they are not stupid! I mean, they really don't realize what will happen to them and when they finally half-realize it, there's not much that they could do. If you have watched Texas Chainsaw Massacre, then you would find similarities in the scheme of the main villain, in how they lure their victims but it was more abrupt at what happens in TCM, and the victim characters in TCM should have realized it better.

Eerie...

I do really love horror movies but I hate unneeded over-excessive violence especially towards victim and most especially towards women, seeing the rated version would probably makes Wolf Creek more appreciated by me and a wider range of audience. Why? The violence towards the women is absolutely disturbing and sigh...It's so visibly executed that would highly-likely make average moviegoers leave the theater or simply turn off their TV. And this is why I don't give this movie the highest rank possible.

The bottom line is from the horror standpoint, Wolf Creek is hard to defeat by other movies in the genre. My sincerest condolences to all the victims and victims family, and hopefully they will never lay their sight on this movie.

© iwan pranowo of Movielogy.com