The first movie starts off at a slow pace, building up scares and the characters. So if you are expecting the same from the sequel, you’ll be in for a surprise.
We already know Mick, his hatred for “foreign vermin”, his love for torture and killing, so this movie chooses to delve more into Mick’s deranged psyche. Wolf Creek 2 is intense and fast paced, not allowing the viewer to feel comfortable or at ease from the get go. The opening scene is rather gory, which sets the tone for the rest of the 105 minutes.
Wolf Creek 2 begins with two bored police officers giving Mick a speeding fine. Needless to say, it’s a decision they come to regret soon after in a spectacular fashion. He also continues his “extermination” of “foreign vermin”, starting with German tourists Katarina and Rutger before making British Paul (played brilliantly by Ryan Corr) his number one prey.
Cinematography has to be mentioned, the outback is one of the most important element to the story. The wide shot of the opening scene allows us to see the majestic beauty of it, as well as, how vast and isolated it really is. It is served to make the audience wonder how they would survive if heaven forbid, ran into a deranged torture loving murderer that is knowledgeable of the unknown. Most would be in trouble, that fact and fear is what the film makers rely on to make it even more disturbing.
John Jarrat returns as Mick Taylor, the crazed menacing version of every ocker Australian stereotype we’ve been force-fed over the years. His talent has made this character one of modern cinema’s iconic serial killers. It is a testament to his (and McLean’s) skills that audience have taken to him as an anti-hero they want more of. Of course, I can’t not mention that laugh of his, it will be echoing in your head long after the movie has ended.
I got to applaud writer -director, Greg McLean, not only for the horror elements, but for incorporating a number of car chases. It certainly compliments the intense, though at times comical, tone of the scenes. It would not have been easy to construct and execute such action packed car scenes due to the setting.
While the first movie had a bit of blood and guts, it is nothing compared to the amount of gore Wolf Creek 2 has. Make no mistake; this sequel can fit in with the “torture porn” genre, as we get front row seats to his murders and tortures. The film makers make no apologies for all the brutality; it is magnified when we get to see his cave. A place where Mick likes to keeps his “play things”. While there are a couple of laughs thrown in there, they are certainly designed to give a bit of false relief to the viewer, but that doesn’t last long, and the scenes following are even bigger and more brutal.
There are some clichéd horror movie moments, however, most of it end within the first 15 minutes. What follows is a complete flip on the clichés and allowing for some unusual mind-based showdowns between Paul and Mick. Their showdown can only be described as bloody, “funny” and grotesque all at the same time.
Gary Seeger’s gleefully soundtrack might seem an odd choice, but it is in fact perfect for the tone of the story. Guaranteed you won’t listen to “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and the Australian anthem the same way again.
Undoubtedly, Wolf Creek 2 will be another global hit, which will only mean one thing. Wolf Creek 3.
I rate it 7 stars out of 10.
Wolf Creek 2 will be arriving to Australian cinemas on the 20th of February.
