Savages Crossing

Well......I have just watched this tense taut drama/thriller n it was a brilliant story n well written with amazing suspense throughout. The plot was good with lively action too. One mans demented obsession with his wife n son all taking place in one location.

The acting was superb n the characters were brilliant n bounced off each other.

The ending was unexpected n unpredictable n apt for the story.

I recommend this movie especially if you like suspense n high drama n thrillers.

Australian cinema has always been highly hit and miss with me but I have to say recent efforts including Wyrmwood (2014) have shown that there is a lot of potential there.

Written by and starring John Jarratt, the man you'll all know better as Mick the psycho from the Wolf Creek franchise this is an attempt at a thriller but lacks imagination and an ending.

It tells the story of a group of people seeking refuge in a roadhouse during a storm. But one of them causes chaos and puts everyones lives at risk.

Another review refers to this as a "Micro-Budget" movie which suggests to me that person has no idea what micro-budget actually involves. Sure it's no AAA blockbuster but it has enough money behind it to look and sound the part and also has Craig McLachlan who folks will know from both Neighbours & Home and Away.

The film certainly has it's moments despite it's glaring flaws but sadly as mentioned lacks an ending. The credits just suddenly roll without everything being wrapped up and that is unforgivable.

At present time I believe the IMDB rating to be too low for a film of this caliber, but not by much.

Great for fans of Australian cinema, not so much for everyone else.

The Good:

Competently made

John Jarratt

The Bad:

Too few likeable characters

Rather predictible

No ending

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

The "No ending" thing better not catch on!

If you want to convince people you're a police officer it's best to show off your standard issue sawn off shotgun

The nut-job killer (played by John Jarratt) from the rather wonderful 'slasher' 'Wolf Creek', reprises a near exact (twisted) character performance, in a lesser but still totally mad Australian feature. Saying that it's nowhere as good, so for me it goes down a major disappointment. Mr J.Jarratt give you a reason to watch.

Surprised this has such a low IMDB rating as it is not that bad. When a group of people are forced to take refuge in a road house during a storm they are unaware that one among them is John Jarrett who seems to be reprising his role as the Psycho from 'Wolf Creek'. Just released from prison he is seeking his wife and son to claim his share of his wife's money. He then goes on to terrify them and the other people marooned in the roadhouse. The hero standing in his way is Craig McLachlan of 'Neighbours' fame, who just happens to be the person who rescued Jarrett from an overflowing river at the beginning of the film. Running for just 80 minutes this deserves a much better rating than the 3.6 it has as I write.

I liked this film and no I don't have any connection whatsoever to it OK? I've lived in the tropics and been through cyclones and tropical storms and this movie really captured the feel of that. It really felt like an isolated roadhouse which people in the city cannot fathom but they do exist in the Territory and up on Cape York.

It had a good soundtrack and score and a great performance from the cast in general.

As far as John Jarratts character goes you have to remember that he was drunk virtually the whole time and was a nut case so some of the things he said and did were ridiculous of course.

All in all nowhere near as bad as people say it is!