Next up was one of my top films of the festival. Australian cinema is usually strong. Australian horror is particularly reliable; featuring some of the best and most uncomfortable films of the last twenty years. When I read the synopsis of director Damian Power’s latest thriller I knew it would be superb and I’m happy to say he didn’t disappoint!

 

Young couple Sam (Harriet Dyer) and Ian (Ian Meadows) decide to take a camping trip to a peaceful beach to spend quality time together. When they arrive they notice someone has already pitched a tent there but supposedly abandoned it. As time passes the pair begins to fear the worst has happened to these people and go looking for answers but soon stumble across a frightening revelation and find themselves in a horrific situation in the middle of nowhere.

 

Similar to Ozploitation features like WOLF CREEK and even WAKE IN FRIGHT, Power’s film conjures a perturbing and uncomfortable atmosphere from the very beginning. Through swooping shots of nature to its dark music score it soon creates the effective contrast between the idyllic exteriors and the sinister acts that are occurring deep within the forest.

 

The script is extremely clever and well-written and the characters are developed enough so you know where your sympathies lie. What’s even more effective is that even though certain characters don’t act in the way you’d expect them to in that circumstance, this doesn’t weaken the story, in fact it makes it all the more realistic. These people aren’t perfect but when faced with this predicament they react how we most likely would.

 

It’s this gritty realism that makes the film all the more frightening; there were some jaw-dropping moments where my heart was in my mouth and I almost couldn’t watch. Refreshingly, the violence is non-gratuitous and the camera doesn’t linger unnecessarily on the despicable acts which in turn makes it all the more powerful and really leaves its disturbing imprint more so than any twisted torture horror ever could.