During that time in the early 2000’s when torture and gore was all the rage in horror, one under the radar- or at least in North America- film to spawn out from that period was Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek. And fans of this Australian slaughter-fest have certainly been rewarded as the decades following have provided one sequel, with a second now in the works, and two six-episode seasons of a television series. That is quite a lot of content, especially for a horror franchise that those outside of Australia have most likely never seen.

It is a shame that its probably near impossible for anybody today to watch this film without already knowing it’s a horror film. Wolf Creek is a film that takes it time setting up the horror. In fact, our main antagonist does not even show up until the 40-minute mark. Prior to that, we watch a trio of twenty somethings, two female Brits and their male tag-a-long from Sydney, as they cross Western Australia in their dilapidated used car. For some, watching a snapshot of the adventures of Liz, Kristy and Ben might be a bit of a slog, but personally, I found entertainment in seeing the two women navigate around a budding romance (even though Ben supposedly has a girlfriend back home) as he struggles to stay relevant enough for the girls to keep around. Of course, none of these scenes do anything beyond making the characters relatable and, perhaps, highlighting the fact that Wolf Creek is a film fueled by ulterior motives.

On one of the group’s adventures takes them deep into the Sandy Desert, where the trio stop at the remote Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater Natural Park to make the three-hour hike to see its wonder. However, on their return, they discover their car won’t start, which is a real cause for concern considering how desolate the region is. Fortunately for them, a friendly local man named John Jarrett (Mick Tylor) just happens to be driving in his pick-up down the road when he spotted them. He also just happens to know what is wrong with the car and has a spare back at his place. What luck!

One thing I appreciate is that there actually is some heft to Wolf Creek’s claim that it was inspired by actual events. In just over a half-decade prior to the film’s release, Australia two known xenophobic serial killers. Both Ivan Milat and Bradley John Murdoch were charged, and found guilty, of killing backpackers (Milat killed seven) In fact, Australian courts ordered that the film’s release date be postponed in the country’s northern counties to avoid it coinciding with, and perhaps influencing, the verdict in Murdoch’s trial.

McLean takes advantage of the film’s sparse hostile environment to give the film a genuine air of believably. There are only a few horror films that I watch thinking this could happen. Wolf Creek is one of them. After all, why wouldn’t there be some sadist lurking around this deep in the desert hoping to take advantage those unfortunate enough to come sightseeing.  

But the film’s power truly lies in Mick Taylor’s fantastic depiction of John Jarrett, a sociopathic who disarms his victims with his folksy, outdoorsy charm. McLean’s allusions to Crocodile Dundee are intentional, as it provides some basis for the stereotypical Australian figure our British heroines naïvely think they are dealing with. Though not nearly as satirical or as in your face, McLean does offer us his own vision of a Hostel-type flip between a tourist’s expectations and a harsher reality. (Interestingly enough, both films came out in the same year, so neither influenced the other. Film study students…you are welcome. I just wrote your paper.)

Of course, after the film takes its abrupt turn and Jarratt’s true colours emerge, those early interactions take on a new meaning. Taylor’s embodiment of Jarrett is now so iconic that it is impossible to imagine this franchise having longevity without him at the helm. Jarratt knowledge of this environment adds an air of believability to his role as an archetypical unstoppable adversary. And there is a compelling air of mystery surrounding his character as well. Barring one off putting remark about tourists, we are given no motive for his actions. By denying us insight into his motivation, viewers simply grow to accept that Jarratt’s evil is a natural by-product of the rugged, yet often romanticized, landscape that, like the abandoned mining camp he resides in, the civilized world has failed to tame.

Apart from its Australian spin, Wolf Creek’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style torture-abduction horror is not remarkably innovative, but McLean takes full advantage of terrific actors and a haunting location to make his film appear much more than most films with a budget double the size. McLean had a solid vision for a film and executed on every level. There is a reason he has been able to make more of these films. Wolf Creek is Australian horror royalty.