While not a typical horror film, the new film Red Hill, the latest export from Australia, has Greg MacLean, responsible for the highly entertaining Wolf Creek and Rogue as its executive producer. The film, the feature film debut of commercial director Patrick Hughes, is an excellent modern day Western that produces some of the most thrilling and suspenseful moments seen this year.
Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten, Jason Stackhouse on True Blood) has moved from the big city of Sydney, Australia to settle as a deputy in a very small town in the Australian outback. The sheriff, known as “Old Bill” (Steve Bisley, who you might remember playing Goose in the classic Mad Max), immediately takes a disliking to his new protégé. However, Shane couldn’t have picked a worse day to start because a convict whom Old Bill has put away has escaped from prison and is heading straight towards the town to extract revenge. Old Bill and his posse have closed the town to deal with the convict, but Shane discovers that there is more to this than just an escapee looking for revenge.
After a solid first act which introduces Cooper and the town’s residents, once the convict (named Jimmy Conway and played masterfully by Tommy Lewis) reaches the town, Red Hill goes into full throttle and never lets up. Jimmy looks like someone straight up from a horror movie. His silent swagger and his burned face immediately suggest he is a bad man out to kill. He is brutal, relentless, and unforgiving. He has the icy conviction of Anton Chigurth with the poise of Jason Voorhees. An Aborigine, Conway is a superb tracker and a quick shot, and this combination show the best and most thrilling moments of the film.
Ryan Kwanten has built a solid resume as an actor, and his role here shows that he is a capable leading man. Shane Cooper is a likeable leading man and his fish out of water story is heightened by his fight for survival not only from Conway, but from the people he works with as well. Equally good is Steve Bisley, convincing and commanding as Old Bill. The rest of the cast are good in their roles, and are much more than just fodder for the slaughter.
Writer/director Patrick Hughes mortgaged his house to make this film in his native Australia and fully utilized the beautiful landscapes of the Australian outback. The film is very well paced, taking its time to introduce the characters and settles into a fast paced thriller. When you think something is about to happen, Hughes throws in a subtle loop that makes the film much more enjoyable. The characterization of Conway alone is magnificent, as he doesn’t utter a word of dialogue, yet provides tremendous impact. There is a bit of social commentary in the film about the plight throughout Australian history of the Aborigines and Hughes does a great job of showcasing it without getting overly preachy with it. This is how you make such an impact etched into your mind while watching the movie.
The cinematography by Tim Hudson is spectacular and gives Red Hill a timeless look. The scenes at night are well lit and the firefights are filmed well. Hughes has done a masterful job on his first feature and is someone to keep your eye on. There is a subplot involving a creature in the mountains killing livestock which may be a panther, and the resolution to that is a truly visually stunning shot.
Take part Shane, No Country For Old Men, Friday the 13th, and classic John Ford, and you have Red Hill, a taut and tense thriller that respects every genre it encapsulates and is definitely worth a look when it hits limited theaters on Friday, November 5th.
– Alan G. Richter
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- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
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- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
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- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
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