The Loved Ones

One of the great things about the SFF is getting to see new Australian films. This is one of the two I'm seeing this year and both are about teenagers.

Ever since the success of 'Wolf Creek' Aussie film makers have been making more horror films. This is not always a good thing ('Dying Breed') but it can produce great films like this. 'The Loved Ones' is about Brent a teenage boy who gets more than he bargained for when he knocks back a girl at school when she asks him to the school dance. This film is a little similar to 'Wolf Creek' in that it involves a person being kidnapped and tortured in many interesting ways. The one thing that 'Wolf Creek' proved is that you need a really good torturer to make a film interesting. Writer/director Sean Byrne has created an excellent villain here and in an interesting twist has made them a girl. There was an article recently which says there is a rise in violent crime committed by women and especially young girls. This film certainly proves that true. Lola is one sick and twisted young lady and has an interesting side-kick in the form of her father. The two of them have some great methods for getting their revenge on poor Brent. Sean has certainly done some great research on creative methods to torture someone. My only minor problem I have with the film is the sub-plot with Brent's friend and the girl he takes to the dance. I understand it is there to provide some comedy and light relief in between seeing Brent get tortured but I think there should have been a better link to Brent's story and situation.

This will no doubt be the last time we get to see Xavier Samuel in an Australian film. We will see him later this month in the next Twilight movie 'Eclipse' and I'm sure that will launch his career overseas. I last saw Xavier in a film called 'Newcastle' which I saw at the SFF in 2008. He was excellent in that and is excellent here too. In this film he is mostly covered in blood and has to scream a lot but he certainly does a great job of it. John Brumpton does a nicely creepy job as Lola's father. He will do anything for his daughter and I mean anything. The real star of this film though is Robin McLeavy as Lola. She gives an amazingly twisted performance that will go down as one of the best screen villains. Many guys will think twice about turning a girl down or at least watch their back more if they do.

An excellent Aussie horror film that you should check out if you can. It will certainly make you think twice about picking up a drill or give you a clever idea on how to get back at someone if they do something you don't like.