After David Edelstein coined the phrase 'torture-porn' when describing Eli Roth's Hostel (2005) in his article for New York Magazine, I had always wanted to get round to watching Wolf Creek. In his article, Edelstein mentions Wolf Creek in relation to a new wave of horror films like Hostel, and The Devils Rejects; and so I expected some serious gore when viewing Wolf Creek. In this respect Greg McLean's Wolf Creek (2005) was a bit disappointing.
Although thats not to say that this independent film wasn't truly terrifying. The portrayal of the serial killer is truly unnerving. His charismatic nature is reminiscent of Freddy Kruger, only this guy doesn't look like a serial killer; which is the scariest part. Unlike most horror films where you can put yourself in the soon-to-be-victims position and say 'I wouldn't have done that', you really can't with Wolf Creek. It's just too easy to believe that this friendly stranger is just that- a friendly stranger. As it turns out, 'friendly' would not be the first word i'd use to describe this sadistic mass murderer, surprisingly enough.
This guys ability to locate the two female protagonists running around the australian outback is uncanny, it's this that creates a really unnerving atmosphere I think only paralleled in the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Its the kind of atmosphere that leaves the audience truly on edge, this guy is purely out to kill, he's fast and he WILL find you.
You can really feel the terror of the two female leads particularly as they desperately fumble for car keys on a number of on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. I think the main problem they came up against in this film (apart from the psychopathic crocodile dundee) was the extreme lack of quality vehicles, or vehicles that drove at any sort of decent speed at all, or in fact just vehicles that started up, most of the time.
As expected with most horror films, there were definitely more than a couple of stupid moves made by the girls as they attempted to escape, most notably when Liz (Cassandra Magrath) re enters the torture-lair (after failing miserably to escape the first time) and decides to watch a few home videos on crocodile dundee's victims' video cameras. She fails to notice the serial killer creep into the back seat of one of the cars she tries to start, and not so soon after she dies, and rather painfully at that. Queue classic "head on a stick" quote.
The gore in Wolf Creek isn't all Edelstein lived it up to be, no where near as bad as the Hostel trilogy, Wolf Creek was terrifying in its almost bloodlessness, another feature that parallels Tobe Hoopers The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a “classic opus of almost bloodless brutality” (Jay Alan Horronews.net). Aside from the toe-curling scene where Ben (Nathan Phillips) unhinges himself from the nails that have fashioned him crucifix style to the wall, that is.
The ending of Wolf Creek leaves more to be desired, as an audience we don't quite get the retribution we're looking for as Mick Taylor (aka sadistic serial killer, actor John Jarrat) seems to remain at large and the whole thing really does have a lot of loose ends. Although, Wolf Creek based (however loosely) around a true horror story of the murder of some backpackers in the outback, and so maybe these loose ends couldn't be helped. Although a somewhat untidy and rushed ending, it was a fresh relief to find that Ben (Nathan Phillips) came out survivor, as on the whole I felt he made all the right moves upon his one time escape. Congrats!
Although thats not to say that this independent film wasn't truly terrifying. The portrayal of the serial killer is truly unnerving. His charismatic nature is reminiscent of Freddy Kruger, only this guy doesn't look like a serial killer; which is the scariest part. Unlike most horror films where you can put yourself in the soon-to-be-victims position and say 'I wouldn't have done that', you really can't with Wolf Creek. It's just too easy to believe that this friendly stranger is just that- a friendly stranger. As it turns out, 'friendly' would not be the first word i'd use to describe this sadistic mass murderer, surprisingly enough.
This guys ability to locate the two female protagonists running around the australian outback is uncanny, it's this that creates a really unnerving atmosphere I think only paralleled in the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Its the kind of atmosphere that leaves the audience truly on edge, this guy is purely out to kill, he's fast and he WILL find you.
You can really feel the terror of the two female leads particularly as they desperately fumble for car keys on a number of on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments. I think the main problem they came up against in this film (apart from the psychopathic crocodile dundee) was the extreme lack of quality vehicles, or vehicles that drove at any sort of decent speed at all, or in fact just vehicles that started up, most of the time.
As expected with most horror films, there were definitely more than a couple of stupid moves made by the girls as they attempted to escape, most notably when Liz (Cassandra Magrath) re enters the torture-lair (after failing miserably to escape the first time) and decides to watch a few home videos on crocodile dundee's victims' video cameras. She fails to notice the serial killer creep into the back seat of one of the cars she tries to start, and not so soon after she dies, and rather painfully at that. Queue classic "head on a stick" quote.
The gore in Wolf Creek isn't all Edelstein lived it up to be, no where near as bad as the Hostel trilogy, Wolf Creek was terrifying in its almost bloodlessness, another feature that parallels Tobe Hoopers The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a “classic opus of almost bloodless brutality” (Jay Alan Horronews.net). Aside from the toe-curling scene where Ben (Nathan Phillips) unhinges himself from the nails that have fashioned him crucifix style to the wall, that is.
The ending of Wolf Creek leaves more to be desired, as an audience we don't quite get the retribution we're looking for as Mick Taylor (aka sadistic serial killer, actor John Jarrat) seems to remain at large and the whole thing really does have a lot of loose ends. Although, Wolf Creek based (however loosely) around a true horror story of the murder of some backpackers in the outback, and so maybe these loose ends couldn't be helped. Although a somewhat untidy and rushed ending, it was a fresh relief to find that Ben (Nathan Phillips) came out survivor, as on the whole I felt he made all the right moves upon his one time escape. Congrats!
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