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Wolf Creek (2005)

Started by Mofo Rising, June 30, 2006, 05:06:39 AM

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Mofo Rising

I figured I would check this movie out because I had heard very conflicting reviews of the movie.  Most of the buzz I heard was negative, but then I also heard good things from the people who would like this kind of movie (namely the people on this board).  So I figured it was worth watching.

Let me say here, I avoid almost all information about a movie until I've seen it.  It's just the way I am.  Let's get back to this in a moment.

I really liked WOLF CREEK.  It's not a great movie by any means, but I was judging it by slasher movie standards.  Here's one thing that WOLF CREEK does outstandingly: None of the characters act stupidly.  Well, there is one moment where one of the characters spends an astounding amount of time perusing the previous victims' evidence.  I can forgive this, because the movie needs to establish it.  I'm not saying the characters didn't act stupid.  They did.  But it was understandable in the circumstances they found themselves in.  But it's very rare in a "slasher" movie like this when you are shouting at the screen "just shoot the f**ker" that a character actually does it.  It's very refreshing.

I was surprised to see the vehemence that critics savaged this movie with.  Look at Ebert's review.  If you read it correctly, he's savaging the fact that it doesn't follow the horror movie guidelines he's come to expect.  Maybe the characters weren't stupid enough, maybe the killer was too goofy, and maybe he got away.

I'm not going to say I approve of all the characters actions, but I can believe them, which is very rare in a horror movie.

One thing I wish filmmakers would stop doing is saying "Based on true events".  Everything is based on true events.  You can not write a story that isn't.  If you could, you are not human.  Still I enjoyed this one, a lot.
Every dead body that is not exterminated becomes one of them. It gets up and kills. The people it kills, get up and kill.

Ash

I wrote about Wolf Creek just recently.

Check it out here

I thought it was decent.

dean

Mofo Rising Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One thing I wish filmmakers would stop doing is
> saying "Based on true events".  Everything is
> based on true events.  You can not write a story
> that isn't.  If you could, you are not human.
> Still I enjoyed this one, a lot.

Flash Gordon, Godzilla and Plan 9 were all based on true events?  Ye gods, I must be slow on the news!

As for the whole based on true events title for this film: Wolf Creek is based on two cases in the Australian outback, one of a backpacker killer who, incidentally, was the basis for the antagonist in this picture and even actually did the whole head on a stick thing I'm told [though whether this is true or not, I don't actually know.] The other case is of a missing British backpacker.  His girlfriend is picked up on a highway and she claims that her boyfriend was murdered yet noone believes her and she's even investigated for the crime.

In that respect this movie was based on true events, but even I see the pointlessness of labelling it like that.

As for the movie itself, as many know I enjoyed it, but much of that may be local bias and experience I'm sure!
------------The password will be: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

Neville

I though it was great, and certainly not stupid nor offensive at any moment. I wouldn't pay attention to Ebert on this type of movies, he seems to hate them and uses to bash them. Search for his review on "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake and you'll see he dismisses it in similar terms.
Due to the horrifying nature of this film, no one will be admitted to the theatre.

Ash

Neville Wrote:
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I wouldn't pay
> attention to Ebert on this type of movies, he
> seems to hate them


I agree with Ebert 99% of the time but movies like Wolf Creek are where I do not agree with him.
He calls films like the Texas Chainsaw remake and Wolf Creek "Geek shows".
You know, those shows where you pay to go in and simply get grossed out.

Mr_Vindictive

I was kinda in the middle with Wolf Creek.  Some parts of it were absolutely great while others......fell a bit flat.  I thought that Mick (that was his name right?) was a great bad guy but I just didn't care wether or not the characters survived.  Must be desensitized after all these years.
__________________________________________________________
"The greatest medicine in the world is human laughter. And the worst medicine is zombie laughter." -- Jack Handey

A bald man named Savalas visited me last night in a dream.  I think it was a Telly vision.

BeyondTheGrave

Skaboi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was kinda in the middle with Wolf Creek.  Some
> parts of it were absolutely great while
> others......fell a bit flat.  I thought that Mick
> (that was his name right?) was a great bad guy but
> I just didn't care wether or not the characters
> survived.  Must be desensitized after all these
> years.

Same way I felt. I really didn't care much for the charaters but the movie did have it moments.
Most of all I hate dancing then work,exercise,people,stupidpeople


Mofo Rising

I thought I wouldn't care for the characters at the beginning.  Bunch of drunken twenty year olds, meh, they probably deserve to die.

As the movie progressed, the characters actually acted like aimless twenty year olds, which I enjoyed.

I do agree with the stupidity of the one girl taking time to explore the psycho's space and watch the home movies.  Just as I was congratulating the movie on not having the characters do anything stupid, she goes and does that.  I chalked it up to the necessity of having a scene which reveals the full extent of the serial killings.
Every dead body that is not exterminated becomes one of them. It gets up and kills. The people it kills, get up and kill.