Savages Crossing

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!

A flash flood in Australia cuts off a small handful of people in a remote roadside diner . A man called Phil enters and threatens his estranged wife Sue and the stranded drivers realise they're in a desperate struggle for their lives

This is a low budget Aussie thriller with a very small cast and a limited number of sets . This isn't enough to condemn the film as a failure of course but if you're making something along the lines of THE OLD DARK HOUSE then you'll need to make sure you're bringing something new and appetizing to the table and this is where SAVAGES CROSSING fails to a very large extent . What happens for most of the time Phil played by John Jarrat swaggers around over acting to high heaven telling people if they don't tell him where his wife is he's going to have to kill them

Another minor annoyance is Craig McLachan as the hero of sorts Mory . McLachan was once a household name in Britain and Australia twenty years ago due to his starring roles in NEIGHBOURS and HOME AWAY while like so many Aussie soap opera stars had a side line as a pop singer and he does the incidental music here on a soundtrack that is rather intrusive . He doesn't make much of a hunky hero either in a film that feels something of a wash out which is appropriate since it revolves around a flood

My expectations weren't very high for this film... and quite rightly so. John Jarratt (from Wolf Creek, Django Unchained... and Play School... you heard me) writes and stars in this little independent Aussie flick about a man who immediately after being released from prison (or rehab... it's never really made clear) heads straight home to visit his wife and son so he can demand either his half of their house or $5,000,000 (yet again it's not really made clear... and the house is probably worth about $500,000 at the most). The wife and son head to the holiday home of a family friend where they believe they'll be safe and can hideout until the coast is clear. Halfway to their destination they find themselves stranded at a roadhouse in the middle of nowhere due to the flooding caused by a storm that has conveniently just begun. Even more conveniently, they left their address book open and the psycho patriarch figures out where they're heading just in time to find himself stranded halfway there at the very same roadhouse. On the surface it would seem that he wants half the house or $5,000,000, otherwise he'll kill his wife and his son AND anyone who gets in his way, including the other poor unfortunates who are also stranded at the roadhouse. There is a mild twist at the end, but you'll still be left thinking, "Really? Is that it?". The acting is of the same calibre you'd expect from an episode of Neighbours or Home and Away on a bad day. Judging by the cover you'd be expecting a brutal horror movie and you'll wind up sitting through a lame thriller with a very low kill count and very little tension. Craig McLachlan plays the hero of the piece... and with all due respect Craig... enough said!

I apologise for the fact that my carefully worded and relatively well thought out review is essentially just one massive paragraph :D

Check out my IMDb List for some better suggestions. "HORROR/THRILLER: Obscure, Overlooked & Underrated" http://www.imdb.com/list/8QFZ78e4Ar8/ :)

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

Obviously Jarratt is wanting to cash in on Wolf Creek, bringing another psycho loser to the screen, and relishing in it. He is a good actor, and the acting here isn't the problem. It's the movie, written by the Jarratt's who should have never been allowed to put pen to paper. I couldn't believe how horribly bad this movie was. I know I wasn't in for Oscar viewing, and I expected B grade fare, but in two words it's incredibly or pathetically bad. Jarratt's wife, Angela Punch Macgregor, at first unrecognizable, in a splendid performance, and real life Jarratt son, (yes another Jarratt contribute) flee from their house in the wake of an approaching storm/flood. This take refuge in this gas, station run by nonetheless Craig Mclachlan, another one of the top performers in this. Of course the acting prize does go to Chris Haywood, as a shady guy, who shows up at the gas station, to take out the deranged Jarratt who's such fun to watch, in a film so bad, you appreciate it. There's no thriller elements in this. The characters motivations are obvious. Jessica Napier is nice scenery as the gas/convenience store hand who shares a strong kiss with her savior Maclachlan, amidst the raging waters of the wild Wonga river, as falling prey earlier to the maniacal Jarrett. And looking much older is Bec Smart, and lesbian friend, may'be, the terrific Horler. Actors can only do their best when faced with incredibly bad scripts as this. One line had me laughing, as to Maclachlan, correcting Jarratt's first and last character's name, with one of insult, as trying to cross an untamed ford in his fancy car, then having to be towed by Maclachlan's truck. The film even ends on a stupid line, and Macgregor and son, who are kept hidden in a bed shed at the good will of Maclachlan, looks very much like the one used in Wolf Creek, where Mick Taylor had his fun. Just out of curiosity, just watch this to see how bad a movie can be, but there's a few worse floating around, not a lot, about a few. Just don't blame the actors.