PukaEntProds
Joined Oct 2018
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PukaEntProds's rating
While most might think exclusively of "Wolf Creek" when they think of Australian horror films, Chris Sun has done a great job of ramping up his efforts within the genre. His latest, "The Possessed", is clearly the next chapter in that evolution.
Starring "Wolf Creek"'s John Jarratt and Lincoln Lewis, the movie follows accidental exorcist Jacob as he rids Australia of some pretty nasty demonic possessions. After going through a few harrowing "clearings", the film has its climax in a spooky house where the previous owners may have performed some rituals to summon a very powerful demon. I won't spoil the ending but it's quite a surprising take indeed.
Jarratt and Lewis carry the film pretty well. I found Jarratt's affectations a bit odd at first, but when you see the person this story is based on (Mark Gardener; they show clips of his real life clearings during credits) it's pretty spot on. Lewis plays the straight man roped into this strange work by his uncle, and while he doesn't have a LOT of room to spread his wings, his performance is even and gives Jarratt a good foil to work from. The other actors were strong as well, though the character of Orion (Jade Kevin Foster), who serves as very capable comedic relief, did feel overused in the climax, drawing away from what would have otherwise been a terrifying sequence.
A lot of the film's strength comes from the demons and their design. They are differing, terrifying, and grotesque in equal parts. While they are largely glimpsed or shown in shadow, their appearances are startling and stomach churning. On top of that, the FX makeup for those suffering possession is very well done too.
All of that would be for not if the film wasn't shot as well as it was. Andrew Conders work is excellent. The framing and exposition, especially during the possession sequences, enhanced the moments. It felt clean, colourful and easy on the eyes, despite the content.
For a modestly budgeted horror flick, this one is pretty fun to watch and, while not perfection, has a lot going for it.
Starring "Wolf Creek"'s John Jarratt and Lincoln Lewis, the movie follows accidental exorcist Jacob as he rids Australia of some pretty nasty demonic possessions. After going through a few harrowing "clearings", the film has its climax in a spooky house where the previous owners may have performed some rituals to summon a very powerful demon. I won't spoil the ending but it's quite a surprising take indeed.
Jarratt and Lewis carry the film pretty well. I found Jarratt's affectations a bit odd at first, but when you see the person this story is based on (Mark Gardener; they show clips of his real life clearings during credits) it's pretty spot on. Lewis plays the straight man roped into this strange work by his uncle, and while he doesn't have a LOT of room to spread his wings, his performance is even and gives Jarratt a good foil to work from. The other actors were strong as well, though the character of Orion (Jade Kevin Foster), who serves as very capable comedic relief, did feel overused in the climax, drawing away from what would have otherwise been a terrifying sequence.
A lot of the film's strength comes from the demons and their design. They are differing, terrifying, and grotesque in equal parts. While they are largely glimpsed or shown in shadow, their appearances are startling and stomach churning. On top of that, the FX makeup for those suffering possession is very well done too.
All of that would be for not if the film wasn't shot as well as it was. Andrew Conders work is excellent. The framing and exposition, especially during the possession sequences, enhanced the moments. It felt clean, colourful and easy on the eyes, despite the content.
For a modestly budgeted horror flick, this one is pretty fun to watch and, while not perfection, has a lot going for it.
Caught this series at a film festival and thoroughly enjoyed it. Playing more in the psychological horror arena (apart from Joshua Long's "My Empire of Dirt" segment, which has some really fun effects that throw back to 80's and 90's horror) than a gorefest, it loosely interweaves a group of shorts in very clever ways, culminating in an episode that gives a loose explanation of the episodes before. While not ultimately explained in full, it is a satisfying conclusion.
Visually, all of the episodes are excellent in their quality and vision ("Dashcam" in particular was inventive in its composition, which worked incredibly well). They all have the unique touch of their individual creators, but showrunner Enzo Tedeschi and producer Rachele Wiggins have done an excellent job of maintaining a cohesive feeling to their style.
A fun slice of Australian filmmaking and worth checking out on Shudder April 28th.
Visually, all of the episodes are excellent in their quality and vision ("Dashcam" in particular was inventive in its composition, which worked incredibly well). They all have the unique touch of their individual creators, but showrunner Enzo Tedeschi and producer Rachele Wiggins have done an excellent job of maintaining a cohesive feeling to their style.
A fun slice of Australian filmmaking and worth checking out on Shudder April 28th.
