SCI FI PI

Released Nov 6
Director Jody Dwyer
Starring Leigh Wannell, Nathan Phillips, Sally McDonald, Mirrah Foulkes
Rated MA

Dying Breed is what is known in the horror genre as 'survival' horror.



Oweeee!


It's the classic city slickers in remote areas having to somehow survive not only the environment, but something icky trying to get them. The fun of this kind of movie comes from guessing who is next to go, and just how they will meet their grisly fate.

Unfortunately, the film doesn't quite deliver on this promise, but opts to take us into a few new directions. Which is fine. A horror movie with originality is a rare and wonderful thing, and especially one that comes from Australia.

The problem with this situation is that several promising threads aren't tied up, or together, and there are some real thematic and stylistic chasms which ultimately deflate the cinematic experience. It's obvious that perhaps too many cooks were involved in the script kitchen and the ensuing result can only be enjoyed sporadically, rather than as a coherent whole.



Tasmanians. Much more friendly than this movie suggests.


Those desperate to see some kind of Australian genre film will enjoy some of its more extreme moments, where it's obvious that director Jody Dwyer had free reign to nourish his basic instincts - there are a couple of horror moments that are genuinely shocking and will give horror aficionados a real thrill. There are also a valiant attempt to create a strong character base, but it didn't quite make it.

The story has four young people heading into the Tasmanian wilderness, in search of the fabled Tasmanian Tiger, reputedly extinct, but anecdotally, still alive, in the densely forested, unpopulated heart of Tasmania.

One of the key members of the group is Irish Zoologist Nina (Mirrah Foulkes) who is not just after the tiger, but what happened to her sister, who apparently drowned eight years before. Her boyfriend Matt (Wannell) brings along the obnoxious Jack (Nathan Phillips) and his girlfriend Rebecca (Melanie Vallejo) to make an adventure of it, but they soon find themselves in the town that hygiene forgot, and tramping around rainy, remote Tasmania. It is their interaction with the locals (and their delicious pies) that point to a rather abrupt end to their trekking careers, and it soon becomes clear that hilarity will not ensue for all.

That said, the 'enter the wilderness' sequences are stunningly beautiful. Something for the nature-lovers before the gore-lovers have all the fun.



Take a long last look at the audience.


Oh, and by the way, ff you've ever had a problem with the whole 'Tasmanians are inbred' raft of jokes, then this might be a film you'd want to avoid.

What's problematic with the film is that the hunt for the mythical beast is possibly one MacGuffin too many, as the other myth in this particular area is about an escaped convict, Alexander Pearce, known as 'The Pieman' for his cannibalistic activities. The film could have been a beastie in the woods story, or a hicks will get you story, but motivation and resolution for the baddies isn't quite up to scratch, and whilst the film does tick plenty of boxes, true horror fans won't be as satisfied with the result.

Had Dwyer managed to stick with either schlock, monster movie, or hyper realism, we might have had a hit, as there are great moments in all of these genres in the film. Munching of humans scenes, some great in-jokes and a rather brutally real end for one of our characters all point to quality bit parts, unfortunately though, not quite working as a whole.

If you've never seen someone bite off a nose in close up before, (and have always wanted to see what that's like) you can't however, pass by Dying Breed. And if Nathan Phillips dying horribly was one of the things you missed from Wolf Creek, you'll get your revenge in this one.


Whilst the film isn't flawless, this is a fine attempt as a first feature and of course points to the fact that Australia not only has a rich heritage in genre film-making, but a rich future in genre film-making as well.



Morphle mrrgh! Ngarrgg!