Wolf Creek

It has been many a moon, dear readers, that I have been as satisfied with a recently released horror film as I have been with this Aussie gem. Ignoring the usual slasher-flick cliches (tramps die, virgins live, teen sex ends immediately in a slaying blah blah blah) "Wolf Creek" takes on a more gritty, no-nonsense approach to conveying it's scares. You also get to know the people in the first part of the film, which is mostly a character study. They're not supermodels, jocks or prom queens, they're just three regular people you'd know from college. These young friends go on a trip through the desolate Australian outback, and whilst exploring the rugged terrain, their car suddenly dies. Later that night, out of the blackness, Mick emerges. No not Mick Jagger, Mick Taylor, and no not the other member of The Stones, the gruff yet hospitable bushman who offers to give the travelers a tow. Isn't that nice? Since logic is ever absent in the clan, they agree and let Mister Mick pull their car by his truck through pitch darkness to a location they've never been to. Bad idea, geniuses. When they reach their destination they find it's all too true that I was right and they should have listened to me. While, in my opinion, it is not as grisly/brutal/demented as people have said, I will say there is nothing pretty about the film. Definitely not tongue-in-cheek and not recommended if you've never seen a horror film. But alas, most horror fans should find the film a treasure in the sea of sequels and snooze fests recently produced by the genre, and pulls it up from halfway down the drain to about a quarter. John Jarret is also perfectaly suited for the role as the deranged killer. Wonderful scenery, camera work and performances make this one of the best horror films I have seen in a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time. (***out of ****)