Fair Game

Australia's answer to "I Spit on Your Grave"? Maybe, except this is actually a much better (and more watchable) film. A woman who owns an isolated vast wildlife reservation realizes that her Roos and other animals are being illegally hunted by some local hooligans. When she tries to set the perps (one of whom thinks he's Crocodile Dundee) straight, they start messing around with her. After a few days, things get out of hand and she finds herself their new prey on her own property. Dubbed an action/thriller by most, I was expecting this to be a cheesy laugh-fest. The only thing about it that resembles an 80s action/thriller is the often light-hearted score (which morphs into more appropriate horror music at times.) Otherwise, this is filled with tension and a humane heroine that you want to root for. This follows the typical rape/revenge formula of the 70s, but it isn't as difficult to watch. A totally fun flick that's one of Australia's better horror offerings.

Weak plot but great showcase for Cassandra Delaney. Also interesting Outback scenery and action. I enjoyed the rural Australian scenery; that was interesting to me; the remoteness helped give some credibility to the lawless villains. The setting was different and remote, giving some credibility to the lawlessness of the villains. A lot of the action was unique and haunting. The plot grew more and more predictable but I didn't mind. The plot seemed designed to showcase Cassandra's charms and, I confess, she won me over! Unfortunately, Casasandra later married John Denver in real life and turned to music...meaning she was only in about 5 movies. Too bad. I would go to a movie just to see her.

This mid-eighties thriller is a skimpy, but surely entertaining and crazy Australian b-grade exploitation attempt at the revenge sub-genre. A young woman takes on some restless kangaroo poachers who go onto make her life hell, when she confronts them about killing animals on her wildlife sanctuary. It's a lot better than you're led to believe. A cat (well there's three of them) and mouse game evolves, as they simply go tit for tat (no one is desperate to back down) in humiliating, terrorising and finally gaining sweet vengeance. The savage violence isn't particularly extreme, as it has a comic book tone to it, but it's mean-spirited and gustily dished-up. From the get-go you can tell it's going to be thrilling, exciting and blistering as it gets straight in to it and never adjusts otherwise. The suspense holds up and the adrenaline kick gets the heart-pounding in many knuckle-busting sequences (the memorable trophy truck ride). Andrew Lesnie sharply photographs the colourfully rugged Australian landscape and wildlife, but it's the moody nightlife cinematography that adds the atmospheric dynamics. Cassandra Delaney (who looks lovely and spends the quite bit time in the flesh) brings a genuine grittiness and sympathetic side to a strong, capable character. The boneheaded, cruel poachers are eccentrically portrayed by Peter Ford, David Sandford and Gary Who. From this inclusion, the gigantic killer pig feature 'Razorback (1984)' comes to mind. Dominating a lot the scenes would be that of Ashley Irwin's uncanny live-wire and throbbing music score. Sometimes uncalled for, but always palatable. Director Mario Andreacchio makes good of the psychical set-pieces and locations. While writer Rob George's material is fundamental, he still strikes up a dependable script that never resorts to camping it up. An agreeable revenge item.

Fair Game (1986) - Awesome 80's Australian Action-Thriller film. It's often referred to as a "rape and revenge" film like I Spit on Your Grave (1978), however, I think it has much more in common with films like The Most Dangerous Game (1932) and Surviving the Game (1994).

In this film, a very attractive game warden running a wildlife sanctuary in the Australian outback is caught in the crosshairs and pursued by local kangaroo poachers bored with hunting wildlife.

One thing that makes this film great is the main character, played compellingly by the sexy Cassandra Delaney, is no pushover or damsel in distress; she gives the hunters more than they bargained for from the minute she is confronted by them. As the film goes on, Delaney's vengeance against her tormentors grows increasingly violent as the hunted becomes the hunter.

The performances by Delaney, along with the trio of scumbags hunting her, are all well-suited for this type of film. The monster-truck-sized off-road vehicle - named 'The Beast' and driven by the hunters - becomes a character in its own right; managing to steal the entire picture in the film's most infamous and memorable scene, prominently featured in the marketing material.

Additionally, the photography is excellent, showcasing dynamic backlit shots of 'The Beast' pursuing Delaney through the outback at night in scenes visually reminiscent of Razorback (1984) and The Road Warrior (1981), Australian films the producers were surely influenced by.

Great film overall. 7.5/10.

A woman in charge of a wildlife sanctuary in Australia is terrorized on the road by two men in a beastly pickup truck and another man in a truck with a shark painted on the back doors. They continue to harass her, and she keeps asserting herself against them, even fighting back. They're intent on killing animals and having cruel fun.

Some who've watched the movie think that if she left them alone, they would have left her alone. I doubt it. At a minimum they would have gone on killing more animals, which she would have found intolerable. But I think they were as intent on tormenting her as killing kangaroos.

The woman is played by the beautiful Cassandra Delaney (the future Mrs. John Denver!), who sadly has not done many other movies. She spends the first part of the movie barely dressed in a long shirt and belt and nothing else, or a wrap and belt. Hot outfit for a hot environment.

Essentially follows a rape-revenge sort of plot, although it isn't clear if they rape her. As the video box indicates, they strap her to the hood of their pickup and drive her around. She's later dumped and she takes a shower, so a rape could be inferred, but it isn't integral.

A well-made film, well acted, though not especially deep.