robertemerald Review of Wolf Creek

Wolf Creek (2016–2017)

More a thriller than horror, professional and engaging

[8/10 · 26 May 2019]

I write professional and engaging above, to which I add compelling. It should have been a 10. It has a good soundtrack, relatively modern but definitely on point, serving to enhance rather than merely inform. There's a very beautiful lead, really well played, acting as a bridge with the vulnerable youth of the movies. In many ways this is less the crisis horror of the first movie and more the sicko game of the second, and it works a treat as tv thriller. Mind you, there is crisis horror, but much less so than that first movie, understandable as, like the great tv it is, the show needs to be moving forward at a reasonable clip. The cinematography is divine, perfectly illustrating both the beauty and the loneness of the outback. It's a hot and harsh environment. The story is as clever as the movies (particularly the second), with some awesome deft touches. Mick's warped sense of humour is a highlight, as are almost all of the women characters. The editing is also modern, with great use of arial shots, quick frames to emphasise action and drama, and lingering on facial expression from time to time to balance. So why not a 10? For me, this was because I found myself having to use my brain to explain certain things, and one shouldn't need to do that. It's OK for issues raised, but not for plot. I want to be allowed to think, not forced to do so in order to make sense of things. Our young gutsy lead may well be an athlete, but most doctors I've spoken to assure me that a bullet wound is way too traumatic for a victim to be up and running two days later. Or maybe that was two weeks later? You see my problem. I needed clarification so as not to have to 'clarify myself'. There's more: where does she get her money after this injury? Where is the American embassy? Why only one cop (and even then only half-heartedly) assigned to a triple murder? That last one is a deeper problem really, as the show is not kind about the cops, and especially unkind to young Australian males, all of whom seem to be criminal cowboys in a modern day Wild West. That's where my 2 stars have disappeared to, but I must be honest, Wolf Creek is a VERY exciting show, and very professional. All the actors, production heads and crew can be rightly proud of themselves. I'm hoping though that I'm not noticing a trend these days, that modern shows are often rushed and bits that should have been noticed at post-production are left dangling for us viewers to grapple with. Hopefully the second season will be a 10, because I for one am really looking forward to it.