Directed By: Greg Mclean
Starring: Nathan Phillips, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi
Tag line: "The Thrill Is In The Hunt"
Trivia: This is one of the only films critic Roger Ebert ever walked out on before finishing. He found the violence so disturbing that he refused to sit through it, and gave the film no rating
In its opening credits, Wolf Creek, a 2005 horror import from Australia, claims to be based on true events. After looking into it further, it appears the film actually draws from several real-life cases, including the notorious “Backpack Murders” of the 1990s, as well as a more recent episode in which a British tourist and his girlfriend were kidnapped in the Northern Territory. Truth be told, I was kinda happy to hear that no one incident inspired the movie. The thought that a guy like Mick Taylor is out there, roaming the Australian Outback, is enough to keep you awake at night.
In the small beachside resort of Broome, Western Australia, British pals Liz (Cassandra Magrath) and Kristy (Kestie Morassi) team up local boy Ben (Nathan Phillips), who’s agreed to drive them to Queensland. Along the way, the three decide to stop off at Wolf Creek, where, tens of thousands of years ago, a giant meteor crashed to earth, leaving one hell of a crater behind. After taking in the sights, they return to their car, only to find that it won’t start. Afraid they’ll have to spend the night in the middle of nowhere, the trio is relieved when Mick Taylor (John Jarrett) shows up on the scene and agrees to tow them back to his place, where he has the necessary part to fix their car. But as the friends will soon discover, Mick has more on his mind than simple auto repair.
While its claim to be based on true events may be a bit suspect, there really is a place in Western Australia called Wolf Creek (though it’s spelled “Wolfe Creek”), a National Park that’s home to one of the largest meteor craters in the world (the filmmakers took full advantage of this natural wonder, which is as picturesque as it is impressive). But as beautiful as it is, this crater isn’t what you’re going to remember when thinking back on Wolf Creek. What stays with you is the character of Mick Taylor, the boisterous Aussie with a thing for rape and torture. The moments when Mick is doing what he does best are gruesome, to say the least (the “head on a stick” scene always makes me cringe), yet what stuck with me was how friendly and affable he seemed at the outset, when he offered to tow the friends car and fix it for free. Whenever I see this sequence, I can’t help but put myself in the three young people’s shoes. And every single time, I come to the same conclusion: I, too, would have gone with Mick Taylor. I’d have gladly let him tow my car, and would have thanked him when he offered me a drink of water once we got there, which, of course, means I would have become his next victim, and more than likely would be dead by now.
This is what makes Wolf Creek such an effective horror film. Over the years, movies have made us think twice about doing many things, including getting into the water (Jaws), picking up hitchhikers (The Hitcher), or strolling into an unfamiliar house (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre). As we see in Wolf Creek, not even a Good Samaritan can always be trusted.
