One of my faves to get started

My review of Wolf Creek from September 2005


With horror movies of late providing more laughs than actual scares, the release of Wolf Creek (18) should be good news to fans of the genre. The story sees two British girls. Liz and Kristy join Ben, an Australian on a road trip Down-Under, their trip, however, turns out to be far from the perfect as they find themselves victims of a psychotic bushman played by John Jarratt. By opting for a more realistic look for the film, writer and director Greg McLean has produced a truly disturbing movie with images which will linger in your mind long after you have left the cinema.

Viewers are required to be patient at the start of the film as a long time is spent establishing the characters and showcasing the breathtaking Australian landscape, however, this is where the advert for the Australian Tourist Board ends as the atmosphere is suddenly replaced by truly horrific images and a real sense of helplessness which is exacerbated by the light hearted beginning. Whilst seasoned horror fans may have seen worse, there is no denying that Wolf Creek is a truly unsettling horror film, one which the fainthearted may find challenging. Despite its running time only clocking in at 99 minutes, the film actually feels a great deal longer as the pressure is applied following the initial setting of the scene and the terror is unrelenting till the sigh of relief which comes with the closing credits.

Wolf Creek proudly displays its ‘based upon a true story’ credentials, however, these claims begin to fall apart when investigated as it is actually based loosely upon a number of cases in Australia, however the claims do add a further unsettling aspect to the movie.

Whilst not for the faint hearted, Wolf Creek is a welcome addition to the horror genre, shaming the Hollywood attempts of late.