Bad Trip

Not many Americans like films from outside the States, but THE LOCALS is one worth looking all over for. Sure its low budget but the story line is brilliant and will leave you guessing up into the very end. THE LOCALS is in a way like LOST if you miss a beat you will go into a tailspin. Greg Page does not say the full story at once but it is up to the viewer to make the connections before the end, if you succeed, congratulations, if not by the end you will. I found THE LOCALS to be more of a thriller rather then horror, I did not fear for my life or hide under a bed but it kept me on my toes. I did get connected with the characters, and felt badly for them, wanting them to get out of the Zone before something bad happened.

I will be hunting night and day for Greg Page's next movie, and as a filmmaker he has given me new outlook on how to make a brilliant low budget movie sill fascinating,

This is an above average script - compelling at times - but it's let down by uninspired directing and merely adequate acting . If it had been made by M. Night Shyamalan it would have been an absolute blinder, but as it was so many potentially chilling scenes were just wasted opportunities (all "the Locals" appearing out of the dark, Grant hiding in the kitchen, Paul's dawning understanding in the ditch). The rock soundtrack doesn't help either; they're good tunes, but they're not exactly subtle - that all important suspense is killed off once and for all. This is one situation where a Hollywood remake might actually be a good thing.

I saw this film because I recognised some of the actors, and was quite impressed with Dwayne Cameron's acting. I can't say the same for everyone - Grant's character wasn't as convincing at the beginning - but it may be there was more focus on the plot at the beginning than development of character. Especially Paul and Grant's friendship, it seemed a little strange at first, but it ended up being the focus of the ending - which was a great scene!. I was also impressed with the camera work, shots, and editing which all added to the feeling of mystery and thrill. The storyline may have been slightly copycat but there was some great Kiwi spirit added in there which made it even more special. Hey, a movie that mentions the film Lord of the Rings has got to be ahead of it's time, eh!

The notion that a parcel of land-- as opposed to a house, a man-made object or a person's family bloodline-- can become permanently and irreversibly tainted with supernatural evil as a result of gruesome tragedies that occur there is a recurring theme in horror from New Zealand, where good farmland is precious. This N. Z. production starts out like just another of the many TEXAS CHAINSAW ripoffs but then gradually develops its scenario into something startlingly original, interesting and spooky. Two college-age buddies, a shy, serious-minded one and a goofy wisecracking one, head into the backwoods on a camping trip hoping to catch up on their friendship and just generally get their heads together. One of the guys is depressed because his girlfriend just dumped him for not liking Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS movies. They have a chance meeting with two cute girls whose clothes and hairstyles appear about 20 years out of date. Far from civilization or familiar surroundings, they witness a murder and suddenly find themselves being pursued by a gang of ignorant backwoods goons armed with rifles and led by the killer. This might sound like the same sort of thing you've seen a thousand times before, but THE LOCALS has a uniquely eerie feel. The story becomes less predictable as it advances into dreamlike confusion over exactly what has happened to whom, and when. That's not to say that just anything can happen, however. The plot actually sticks to its own logic enough to make sense if you're paying attention. There are some great and odd-looking special effects, excellent acting, appropriately witty dialogue and a simple but very clever storyline that sets the movie apart from all the typically cheap and uninspired crazy-rednecks-chasing-city-folks-in-the-woods movies spawned by the success of TEXAS CHAINSAW. The killers appear as violent and threatening without ever lapsing into camp parody and the bloody killings here carry more of a sense of tragedy and emotional loss than in most stalker films. And it's nice to see a film of this type that goes beyond simply presenting a series of murders and actually goes to the trouble to tell a real story. The leader of the murderous "locals" is played by the actor who was Professor Challenger on the short-lived ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S THE LOST WORLD TV series. If you like backwoods horror tales, THE LOCALS is one to look for.

If Hollywood had made this movie (and smoothed out some hitches that presumably came with a low budget) the critics may well have been raving about it.

In many ways it could have been another 'The Others'.

Most of the acting is quite acceptable for a low budget horror movie; the photography is very well done and the script itself is ambitious and doesn't miss by much, which is saying something. Some of the foreshadowing is top notch.

Either way well worth watching and miles ahead of so much Hollywood horror pap!

As ghost stories go this was relatively original and will be appreciated by those looking for something different.