Writer: Greg McLean (Screenplay)
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington, Caroline Brazier, Stephen Curry, Celia Ireland, John Jarratt, Mia Wasikowska
Plot: An American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile while trapped on a rapidly flooding mud island.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Crocodile Creature Feature
Story: Rogue starts when Kate Ryan (Mitchell) a tour guide in the Australian outback is take her tour along the river searching for crocodiles. Her tour group includes travel writer Pete McKell (Vartan), a British family, a widower, photographer, a honeymooning couple and a couple of other travellers. Along the way they meet local Neil (Worthington) who has a dislike to tourist.
When the trip is going smoothly and just about to conclude the group see a flare in the distance leading Kate having to make the decision to investigate what it could be. When the boat gets attacked by a crocodile the tourists find themselves trapped on a small island being hunted by one of the biggest crocodiles any of them have every seen. Kate and Neil being the only experts of the outback have to bring the tourists together to keep them calm while they have to survive.
Rogue is what you want to see in the creature feature style of thriller, the big plus is that the crocodile could easily be real because it is only a larger than normal size crocodile but within reason. We do get the generic supporting cast which includes everyone involved have a backstory that seems overly used for the idea of not wanting to see them get killed. This really is a simple watch that does keep you right on the edge of your seat throughout.
Actor Review
Radha Mitchell: Kate Ryan is the tour guide who responds to a flare with her tour group, she ends up having her boat attack and having to work with local to save the tourists from crocodile that is extra hungry. Radha does a good job in this leading role looking natural as the guide while staying strong on front of her tourists.
Michael Vartan: Pete McKell is the travel writer who is reluctantly on the trip, he ends up on the boat trip and has to be the one Kate turns to during the battle to survive using all his years of experience in stress situations. Michael does a solid job but never really steps up enough till the final act of the film.
Sam Worthington: Neil Kelly is the local who doesn’t like the tourist and spends most of his time invading their tours, but when he finds Kate stranded he helps the tourists deal with the crocodile that has already taken one of his friends. Sam is good in one of his early roles in this supporting role playing the general bad ass helper.
Support Cast: Rogue has a generic supporting cast that all do well with what the characters end up doing.
Director Review: Greg McLean – Greg gives us a good action horror dealing with the killer crocodile.
Action: Rogue is mostly filled with action survival during the escape from the crocodile.
Horror: Rogue turns the crocodile into the creature feature feel to the enemy which works to add horror to the situation of being trapped.
Thriller: Rogue keeps us on the edge of our seats from the first crocodile attack.
Settings: Rogue puts our characters trapped with nowhere to run against the enemy who wants to kill them.
Special Effects: Rogue has a few questionable effects when it comes to the crocodile in the final act.
Suggestion: Rogue is one film that I think people can enjoy but I would understand people finding it slightly generic. (Try It)
Best Part: Edge your seat once the crocodile attacks.
Worst Part: Dog.
Favourite Quote: Kate ‘So what did you think of the tour?’
Believability: The idea of a crocodile that big is possible but what happens not so much.
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: No
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 Hour 39 Minutes
Tagline: How Fast Can You Swim?
Overall: Good creature feature feeling film from start to finish
Rating