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:

As it was originally filmed, the scene where are Ben (Nathan Phillips), Liz (Cassandra Magrath) and Kristy (Kestie Morassi) are sitting around the campfire and Ben is telling the story about the alien lights, was over seven minutes long, and shot entirely in one take.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The female Swedish backpacker's line is translated in the captions as "Come on, let's get him out of here", when she's actually saying "Hur i helvete kom han hit?", which in English translates into "How the hell did he get here?"

Quotes:

Mick Taylor: Where you from, mate?
Ben Mitchell: Sydney.
Mick Taylor: Poofter capital of Australia!

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Sunshine

...as terrifying as anything I have seen.

How good to be able to report that a current horror film is as terrifying as anything I have seen. I'm not sure how much the slow build helped. With limp violence to come, certainly a thorough introduction to the participants can help the consequent action seem more involving but when the visceral action is as shattering and disturbing as this I'm not so sure. In any event, this modern day, Australian, Texas Chainsaw Massacre achieves all it sets out to and will give nobody a comfortable ride. Unrelenting and truly scary this is a monumental piece of work. The editing is particularly effective and helpful in keeping the tension going. There is no dull moment at all in this movie, only stand out scenes and the best of these is the central and very hard to watch, treatment of the first captive. This scene is made all the worse for the most part because the 'rescuer' is like us stunned by the ferocity of the violence and reduced to simple watching and we are made even more aware of the voyeuristic nature of the situation as we watch horrific torture and killing. Not a bundle of fun then but an extremely well told tale. I just won't be watching it again right away.