Rogue

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Rogue

August 29th 2007 00:57

I snuck into an advance Sydney screening yesterday of Greg Mclean’s second feature, Rogue, his follow-up to the excellent Wolf Creek (2006). The advance screenings are to enable it to be nominated for the AFI awards, however it's not being widely released in down under waters until November, its release pushed back apparently so as not to compete with The Bourne Ultimatum, another big-budget, destructive blood-lusting beast, but with a more handsome profile, and a more sophisticated vocabulary.

But enough of the jokes, Rogue is no comedy. It growls, lurches like a locomotive, and chomps down with the most impressive biting power I’ve seen in a while. This is a monster flick for the discerning horror fan. Rogue rocks.

Kakadu National Park boat cruise at your service

The basic premise has Kate (Radha Mitchell), a tour captain working the waters of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory on a wildlife cruise. On board are your typical cross-range of tourists; Pete McKell (Michael Vartan), a slightly cynical American travel writer, a wealthy, arrogant American couple, an uptight English family, an overweight, amusing Irish lass, a handful of Asians, and a couple of fair dinkum Aussies (which includes a very different John Jarrett performance).

Michael Vartan as Pete and Barry Otto in a cameo as a publican

As the day’s rather uneventful tour is drawing to a close Kate is reluctantly persuaded to steer their boat into unexplored territory to investigate a flare. Suddenly disaster strikes, as the boat is struck a powerful blow from beneath the murky waters and promptly starts to sink. With little choice, Kate is forced to beach the vessel on the closest dry land; a tiny mud island.

Radha Mitchell as tour captain Kate

The tide is rising quickly, fear has gripped the group, and there is a massive ‘rogue’ crocodile that has ‘tagged’ the group, surrounding them, relying on a finely tuned hunting instinct.

Your standard American croc burger

When I first heard of this project I was somewhat disappointed, feeling like Mclean was going to attempt well-trodden ground (or to be more precise well-treaded water). There was a movie called Alligator (1980) about a huge, well, alligator, that breaks free from the New York sewers and goes on a rampage, and then there’s the poster art which reminds one of both Jaws (1975) and Piranha (1978). Another giant reptilian horror movie also comes to mind too; the deep trash Anaconda (1997).

However writer/director Mclean has made a punchy, entertaining horror that pushes most of the right panic buttons. Like Wolf Creek the movie looks terrific, Will Gibson’s stunning aerial photography of the Northern Territory; the place simply commands awe, and it looks so … prehistoric! All the technical aspects of the film are top-notch; especially the main creature effects, a skillful combination of animatronic (John Cox’s Robotechnology) and CGI (WETA and Fuel International), but also the music, a superbly atmospheric, instantly classic score from Wolf Creek composer François Tétaz.

Stephen Curry as one of the Aussie tourists

The charismatic cast work well, Michael Vartan and Radha Mitchell play well off each other, a little tension, and then burgeoning attraction. Sam Worthington plays an asshole, a spanner in the works, and does it well. John Jarrett’s turn as a fuddy-duddy tourist is good, as is Stephen Curry as a no-nonsense young Ocker. The characterisations are on the slender side (which is probably why the croc keeps coming back for more), but that’s not wholly surprising, we’re not talking about a psychological drama with a few teething problems, this is a 30-odd-foot-of-grunt, territorial killing machine, stalking and chomping with extreme prejudice.

I did have a couple of qualms during the movie’s last quarter, but they’re your standard “There’s no way that person would survive that kind of injury!” scoff, and you get them all the time in horror movies, you just take them with a grain of salt (water).

Croc's favourite food: tourist soup!

Cleverly, director Mclean holds back on the body count, maintaining an impressive sense of danger and suspense, especially during the extended jeopardy scene which has the group trying to make there way across a tight rope from the mud island to dry land. The gradual build-up of tension works similarly in Wolf Creek, and audiences who felt this bogged down the movie will probably feel disappointed with Rogue.

Oh my God! That was my husband!

The violence in Rogue is restrained, well, as restrained as a hungry crocodile can get. These beasts move and attack very swiftly, and Mclean uses this behavioural technique to great cinematic effect. When I say “restrained” I mean not as blood-drenched as some might hope for, but the close contact with the rogue croc in the movie’s final quarter is as frightening and intense as a horrorphile would want it to be. There's also a couple of impressive wounds on display though for the gorehounds.

One should always see the leading lady squirm

Rogue is much better than Placid Lake, the other big rogue croc flick from several years back (and there’s another two soon to be released: the American utter trash, Primeval, and another Aussie one that doesn’t look nearly as good, Black Water). I’m sure this Rogue will slap those bony, scaly rogue arses into the middle of next week!

Here's the trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

20 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by David

August 29th 2007 01:33

Yep.

Jaws in the Outback. What an original concept.

Comment by David

August 29th 2007 01:35

Even the poster is a highly original duplicate of the Jaws poster.

Comment by David

August 29th 2007 01:38

I can't wait to see the sequel where Steve Irwin and Crocodile Dundee save them all.

Comment by Cibbuano

August 29th 2007 01:46

Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

yeah, it doesn't sound like a great premise, especially after all the terrible croc movies out there. But it's good you say? I'll try and check it out when it arrives...

Comment by Louie

August 29th 2007 02:25

Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips

def not my thing. Love the comments.......Crocodile Dundee to the Rescue.......

Comment by Bryn

August 29th 2007 02:27

Horrorphile

David, sure it's derivative, but so many horrors are by default. Greg Mclean has an assured hand, that hasn't been severed, and Rogue does possess a tasty death roll.

Cibby, yeah, check it out on the big screen, it looks great up there, not in anamorphic widescreen, but big nevertheless.

Comment by Bryn

August 29th 2007 02:29

Horrorphile

Louie, Croc Dundee will need a bigger knife than the one he pulled out in NYC ... lol

Comment by Damo

August 29th 2007 03:06

Next year:
It is mid Saturday morning and I am sent to get the videos.
Do I get the intelligent heart warming drama about a sensive man trying to win the love of his woman?
Or
Do I go for Mr Chomp Chomp Crocodile?

Yep the Croc wins.

Comment by Chic Critique

August 29th 2007 03:48

Look forward to this one....I like Radha.

Cool post and well written review as usual!

Cheers
CC

Comment by Lilla

August 29th 2007 05:20

From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop

Bryn,

I s’pose American producers have re-written so many of our script ideas, it was only a matter of time, until we tried one of theirs… *chuckle* but I enjoyed Jaws and will certainly give this one a look in… the fact that it’s taking place here in 'our backyard,' appeals.

I hope it’s not over-acted?

Lilla ...

Comment by Bryn

August 29th 2007 05:34

Horrorphile

Damo, you make me laugh. Nice comment. Make plenty of popcorn and have cold beer in the fridge.

Chic, yeah, and nice to have Radha swing back with her own accent ...

Lilla, Rogue has enough tension to be worthy of comparison to Jaws, although probably not as Hitchcockian in its look and feel ... as for the acting, Mclean garners quite solid performances considering ...

Comment by Nickoftime's Sanity Corner

August 29th 2007 20:11

Bryn,

uh oh, ya say it's good do ya? Ummm, kinda looks like all the other alligator/crocodile horror chompy films, but, I'll take your word for it...

Long as it's not like Snakes On A Plane, I might have a go at it..

LOL

Great review though, trailer wasn't half bad...

Take care,

Nick

Comment by JohnDoe

August 29th 2007 23:46

Film & TV on DVD

I'm there but I am one of the few that loved John Sayles Alligator film with the juicy diving into the family swimming pool scene.

Comment by Bryn

August 30th 2007 06:15

Horrorphile

yeah, trailer doesn't really do the film justice to be honest ....

Comment by D. Armenta

August 30th 2007 15:20

The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.

No wait, I've got it!

Remake "Alligator", right? Then, as the giant gator is terrorizing a barbecue party--guests screaming and running for their lives--Crocodile Dundee pops up in a cameo as a visiting Aussie herpetologist, holding a long leash...

"That's not a reptile! THIS is a reptile!"

--enter the gi-normous CROC, who casually swallows piddly little American gator, then chews reflectively on a passing Hummer filled with greedy republican corporate execs.

Whaddya think? Box-office gold, no?

Comment by Bryn

August 31st 2007 03:46

Horrorphile

Gold.

Comment by Michaelie

September 2nd 2007 18:27

Flick Wit

You have me sold, I must say. I think it's the Aussie spin on this kind of thing. If this was an all-American production I would probably have never considered it, assuming I was getting the same old manufactured cheese slice - horrifying in a plastic, mass produced kind of way.

Killer review

Michaelie

Comment by Bryn

September 4th 2007 02:41

Horrorphile

"killer review" ... lol ... cheers Michaelie, welcome!

Comment by Anonymous

September 5th 2007 11:51

Thanks for the great review. I have been waiting and waiting for this film to come out and cannot wait for its final release in November. I still do not understand why it had to be put back to November. I am not going to see the Bourne movie as I am not interested at all in Hollywood movies and I for one think this movie would have done equally well even if it is directed to the same audience. People will watch what they want to see and well written reviews will bring good movies to their attention! I also hope this movie does a lot to lift the reputation of the Australian film industry.

Comment by Bryn

September 8th 2007 01:40

Horrorphile

Anon,
cheers for the comment.

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