Greg McLean
Wolf Creek

How can they find you when no one knows you're missing?

So reads one of the taglines of the movie "Wolf Creek", horror directed by Australian director Greg McLean in his first feature film. Released in theaters in 2005 with a cast of relatively unknown actors, this film never achieved the fame it deserves. Drawing from the overly exploited "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" by Hooper and "The Hills Have Eyes" by Wes Craven, the director managed to create a horror film that might not seem like one, featuring sudden cuts, UFO stories (stopped clocks, strange lights), and a documentary-like approach showcasing the stunning Australian landscapes.

The plot isn't the most original: 3 youngsters (two women and one man) decide to go on a camping trip, equipped with tents and sleeping bags, to explore the "Wolf Creek" national park, a place with a crater formed by a meteorite. Add to that a car that refuses to start and the three unfortunate characters being rescued by a slightly deranged ex-hunter, and you'll understand how the nods to great films of the genre are evident. The story, set in 1990, is based on true events: many tourists disappeared in Australia, and Ivan Milat (the most notorious killer in the land of kangaroos) is used here as a model for the killer.

The film is mainly divided into two segments: the first part introduces the characters and covers the long journey with a not-so-smooth encounter in a desert bar. In the second part, the hunter who decides to help the youngsters actually takes them to his shack, and that's where the problems begin... McLean has had the great merit of making a film without abusing liters and liters of blood (although there are some rather strong scenes) but by concentrating the violence in sequences that build up a tension that will keep you on the edge of your seat for over 40 minutes. With chase scenes on ramshackle jeeps and shocking revelations and a dark and oppressive cinematography in the indoor scenes, this film sets itself apart from many Hooper clones (to name a few, "House of Wax" and "Wrong Turn") by aligning more with a thriller-slasher genre similar to works like the modern "Severance".

Certainly, it won't make horror cinema scream "masterpiece," but it is sufficient to ensure an hour and a half of entertainment. Also noteworthy is John Jarratt's excellent performance in the role of the killer. So embark on the movie viewing adventure...