Film: Home is where the horror is in two new Aussie films

Australian cinema has flourished this year, with a number of films gaining theatrical release across the country. This month sees two violent Aussie films hitting the theaters from debut directors.

The Loved Ones

Be warned: Sean Byrnes The Loved Ones contains extreme violence. As a horror fan I was eager to see this film that premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, but even I found myself having to close my eyes during some of the graphic scenes.

The film opens with the protagonist, Brent (Xavier Samuel) swerving off a deserted Outback highway when a distraught man is seen wandering in front of the car. Tragically the car crashes, killing his father in the passenger seat. One year later Brent is suffering from post traumatic stress and when he rejects the invitation to attend the school dance with the quiet Lola (Robin McLeavy) he is shortly kidnapped by her father (John Brumpton), and is tortured by the sadistic couple who seem to share more than just a father daughter relationship (there are certainly Oedipal vibes throughout). A variety of stereotypical characters are present in the film, highlighting its attempts to appeal to wider audiences.

After a truly horrific scene involving a power drill and a kettle, Brent soon stumbles upon an underground room filled with more surprises. The accompaniment of Kasey Chambers song Not Pretty Enough heard throughout, underscores the film’s dark sense of humour. But the ‘extreme’ elements to the film become almost comic at times, especially in the concluding scene which sees Lola, dressed in her pretty pink dress, dragging herself along a deserted Victorian highway with her knife an ode to George Miller’s Mad Max.

Red Hill

Writer/director/producer Patrick Hughes approaches horror in Red Hill, in a slightly different manner. Set in a very small town in Victoria (the population sign at the towns entrance has been changed from 300 people to 150), Shane (Ryan Kwanten), is a young policeman who has transferred from the city with his pregnant wife. But his first day on the job in the quiet Red Hill turns into a blood bath. We soon learn that Jimmy Conway has escaped from a maximum security prison, and the locals are worried that he will return to the town to seek his revenge. While the film includes a narrative twist, it does leave some questions unanswered – most notably the presence of a panther that is seen twice in the film and again after the credits, which is never explained.

The film is bound by cliches, and it mixes elements from both the Western and Horror genres. Various characters are seen riding horses around town; they all fashion a wide brimmed hat and gun holsters; there are various close up shots that are included before a duel takes place; and the classic guitar string tune is frequently utilised. But suspense is also effectively built up in many scenes, as Jimmy takes his time (in most cases) to stare down his victims before shooting them to death. He also embodies an unbeatable aim, and he almost becomes elevated to a slasher film killer in that he is never seen running after his victims, his face has been burnt/disfigured and he never speaks, similar to Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers and even Freddy Kruger.

Overall, Red Hill is visually appealing as various long shots are included of our sunburnt country and rugged mountain ranges, and it should attract quite a few audiences considering Ryan Kwantan is now a global star, thanks to his role as Jason in True Blood. Its nice to see that he hasn’t forgotten his roots in Australia, although he is probably quite proud that his Home and Away days are now behind him!

While flawed at times, both The Loved Ones and Red Hill are well-acted, visually impressive and suspense driven. They also seem to have re-ignited the horror genre in Australia which was basically non-existent before Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek in 2004 – a sequel of which has also recently been announced.