W. Doug Bolden

Review

Wolf Creek was a roughly unknown concept to me when I started watching it. Fact is, when I first went to watch it, I had accidently picked up Cry_Wolf, which I regretted. Luckily, Creek is better.

Let me get this out of the way: my main problem with this movie is its strict adherence to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre formula. Group of college age kids on trip for some reason. Car trouble. Truch with bright lights. Running in the dark. Dreamlike inability to get away. Signs of past murders. Flagging down good samaritans. The whole "Based on a True Story" bit.

Outside of this, it does it well. In fact, for a bit (first half or more) it actually comes close to luring you into a sense of security. You are uneasy, because it seems as though these people are in over their heads, but you accept them as characters. There is a budding love interest. There is the relative good hearted punk. I never did quite catch what the girl with the larger breasts was, besides an excuse to have larger breasts, but she was cool, too. I think.

I think the single most effective tool used in this whole movie is its reliance on the syrup-like inability to escape the killer. He is just there, all over the place. When you feel like you are in a safe place, you find out that maybe he has been watching you this whole time. This juxtaposition with him as harmless loon works well for the movie, keeping him real enough to be in your face, but powerful enough that you do not feel as though you could reach out and stop him.

I sort of wish for one or two more victims, or more people to be involved, but it worked well enough to be effective with its cast of three. I also wish it went a little more into the machination of the killer. Maybe it is a sign of my sicker side, but I enjoy the weaving of various deadly tools and ways in movies. No, in this one, we are almost totally bereft of anything to do with the killer besides his actions.

This one does not scare in the jump out sense, nor does it really terrify, but it does hit with an emotion impact that makes you a little tense. It is well shot, and worth a rewatch.

My score: 65.