Talking to a fellow IMDber about what they have been watching in the run up to Halloween,I got told about the Ozploitation flick Next of Kin.Having Ozploitation (and having enjoyed the 80's Aussie crocodile movie Dark Ages) on the mind,I was happy to find out that the BBC was airing a "modern" Ozploitation title,which led to me getting snappy.
The plot:
Finding nothing exciting to write about for his job as a travel journalist, Pete McKell decides to pass the time by joining some tourists on a crocodile watching river cruise. Completing the tour,tour guide Kate Ryan starts turning the boat back.As they turn one of the tourist spots a flare in the air. Riding down the river to rescue the distressed person,Ryan,McKell and the other tourists soon get a bite of the biggest crocodile in the country.
View on the film:
Whilst their characters are not given that much emotional depth, (although if a monster croc was trying to kill you,fear would likely be the only emotion expressed!) the cast give a very good ensemble performance,with Sam Worthington hitting Neil with a cocky kick,and Mia Wasikowska making Sherry shake like a trifle in front of the croc. Loosely based on the real croc Sweetheart (who attacked 15 boats,but never killed anyone!) the screenplay by writer/director Greg McLean swims for the first 30 minutes in shallow Horror waters that allow for the group to be gathered,and for McLean to jab splinters into the playful power-play taking place on the boat.
Snapping at the heels of calmness, McLean cracks up the jaws of Creature Feature survival Horror. Sticking everyone in the wilderness,McLean finds thrilling routes for the gangs fight for survival,leaping from a stranded on an island fallout,to a brittle,tense climb on a rope over the eyes of the croc. Reeling out the great beast after a tantalising tease, McLean chomps up all the horror action in the water,with the full unveiling of the croc leading to a thrilling final confrontation. Before sailing down the river,director McLean and cinematographer Will Gibson give the title a warm,sand coloured glow,that cleverly gets the audience to drop their guard. Backed by a nail-biting score from François Tétaz,McLean and Gibson catches the unlucky tourists in an incredibly sticky Grunge atmosphere.Spraying the screen lime green,McLean gives the crocs world a swamp appearance where the croc hovers below like a moving tar pit,as the gang chew their lives with the croc.
The plot:
Finding nothing exciting to write about for his job as a travel journalist, Pete McKell decides to pass the time by joining some tourists on a crocodile watching river cruise. Completing the tour,tour guide Kate Ryan starts turning the boat back.As they turn one of the tourist spots a flare in the air. Riding down the river to rescue the distressed person,Ryan,McKell and the other tourists soon get a bite of the biggest crocodile in the country.
View on the film:
Whilst their characters are not given that much emotional depth, (although if a monster croc was trying to kill you,fear would likely be the only emotion expressed!) the cast give a very good ensemble performance,with Sam Worthington hitting Neil with a cocky kick,and Mia Wasikowska making Sherry shake like a trifle in front of the croc. Loosely based on the real croc Sweetheart (who attacked 15 boats,but never killed anyone!) the screenplay by writer/director Greg McLean swims for the first 30 minutes in shallow Horror waters that allow for the group to be gathered,and for McLean to jab splinters into the playful power-play taking place on the boat.
Snapping at the heels of calmness, McLean cracks up the jaws of Creature Feature survival Horror. Sticking everyone in the wilderness,McLean finds thrilling routes for the gangs fight for survival,leaping from a stranded on an island fallout,to a brittle,tense climb on a rope over the eyes of the croc. Reeling out the great beast after a tantalising tease, McLean chomps up all the horror action in the water,with the full unveiling of the croc leading to a thrilling final confrontation. Before sailing down the river,director McLean and cinematographer Will Gibson give the title a warm,sand coloured glow,that cleverly gets the audience to drop their guard. Backed by a nail-biting score from François Tétaz,McLean and Gibson catches the unlucky tourists in an incredibly sticky Grunge atmosphere.Spraying the screen lime green,McLean gives the crocs world a swamp appearance where the croc hovers below like a moving tar pit,as the gang chew their lives with the croc.