There have really been some fantastic films arriving from “down under” lately. Last spring I really enjoyed “The Square,” which was written by actor Joel Edgerton and directed by his brother Nash. Then late this summer “Animal Kingdom” was released, which played like an Australian version of “Goodfellas” and also starred Joel Edgerton. The latest Australian import is maybe the best of the bunch, and does not star Joel Edgerton, but does feature a moving and fully formed performance from “True Blood” actor Ryan Kwanten.
The movie also has some other wonderful Australian actors in the cast including Claire van der Bloom (“The Square”), Steve Bisley (“Mad Max”) and Tom E. Lewis (“The Proposition”), who gave a unique and impressive performance as the films antagonist. Director Patrick Hughes’ debut is a gritty, gnarly and dirty revenge film, which plays like a combination of the classic Sergio Leone Westerns and Charles Bronson’s “Death Wish.” While the movie is essentially a modern day Western it does have that ’70s type of feel to it while staying completely contemporary.
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The film begins by introducing us to Shane Cooper (Kwanten), a young police officer who has transferred to the small town of Red Hill in order to start a family with his pregnant wife (van der Bloom). On his first day he begins to bump heads with his boss, the local sheriff Old Bill (Bisley). Reluctantly Shane confesses to Old Bill a secret about his past, which is the real reason that he decided to relocate. It doesn’t take too long before this quiet little town becomes a battle zone as convicted murdered Jimmy Conway (a fantastic Lewis), escapes from prison and declares war on Old Bill and the members of his law enforcement team that put him away.
While Old Bill and the others go on lockdown to secure the town, Shane is marginalized to guard an entrance that Bill thinks Jimmy would never use. Unfortunately, Bill’s strategy backfires and Shane is surprised to come face to face with the mass killer. Shane escapes his encounter alive but as Jimmy begins to knock off his opposition one by one, Old Bill becomes scared for his own life. Now it is up to Shane to stop Jimmy before he kills Old Bill and possibly threatens the rest of the town, including his wife. But what Shane will soon find out, is that he and Jimmy share a mutual respect that manifests many unexpected results.
Perhaps the fact that the film takes place in a rural area of Australia, which makes it seem like it is happening on another planet, helps lend to the remote isolation that drives the film’s suspense. Visually the movie is very interesting and Hughes uses a mix of washed out coloring combined with the blinding light of the sun, while contrasting it with the dark abyss of nightfall. It sets a mood for the film that adds to the drama and excitement of the story. The film also has a timeless feel to it and you could easily see it still being relevant twenty years from now, since this story won’t age. The battle of good vs. evil and the grey area that exists in between has been an important part of human drama practically since it was conceived and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Another aspect I love about the movie is its use of symbolism. Throughout the film, one of the sub-plots revolves around a panther that is possibly roaming the countryside killing cattle. While Shane takes this matter seriously, Old Bill basically ignores it. We soon find out that there really is a Panther on the loose and that this is no “urban legend.” The Panther itself is used in a very unique way and in fact, I believe, symbolizes the character of Jimmy. He’s on the loose too and destroying anything that gets in his way. But that doesn’t mean he is completely bad and may just be somewhat misunderstood. Yet he is dangerous and you definitely want to stay out of his way. In the end, Red Hill is a really fun action movie that combines some of the best aspects of genre films into one exciting and well-acted piece of entertainment.
