Review: Killing Ground

(imdb.com)

From Wolf Creek to Hounds of Love, Australia has made quite the impression on horror industry. Often featuring crazed rednecks and some unsuspecting victims, these films hit close to home featuring gritty violence and realistic gore. Showing absolutely no signs of stopping, the release of Killing Ground continues pushing this Australian style forward.

Killing Ground is a pretty straightforward horror film. Following a newly engaged couple camping, Killing Ground plays out like so many films before it. There's chasing and running, brutal attacks and an eventual climax scene that'll have even the most strong-willed wanting to look away. But, what makes this film at least somewhat special is its use of fluid chronology. Intersecting the couple's discovery of an abandoned tent are scenes of the original campers and their eventual fates at the hands of a pair of crazed psychopaths. These interwoven scenes provide some truly intense moments that make for a product far better than it could have been.

Killing Ground stars Harriet Dyer (Love Child) and Ian Meadows (The Turning) as newly engaged couple, Sam and Ian. They are the film's main focus and best pieces, countering off one another with electrified emotion. Dyer is especially effective at playing a somewhat typical role as the persevering survivor. Killing Ground also features Tiarnie Coupland, (Love Child) Stephen Hunter (The Hobbit) and Maya Stange (Garage Days) as the missing family, and Aaron Glenane (Truth) and Aaron Pedersen (Water Rats) as the crazed country men. Glenane is another standout of Killing Ground. His portrayal of the young and easily influenced attacker makes for some unsettling scenes.

Killing Ground shares many similarities to the hyper-stylized Nocturnal Animals. Featuring plenty of unwavering shots of brutality, viewers will most definitely want to look away. But, like so many films before it, they'll find it a difficult task to do. This is a film that you'll feel inclined to sit through, hopeful that reprieve is around the corner; hoping that, at some point the toddler held in Sam's arms will escape or we'll find out a character isn't dead. But, audiences will also know that, like so many times before it, hope should be taken with a grain of salt. This is Australian horror after all and it's famous for their brutal takes on the genre.

Killing Ground does suffer from a fair amount of predictability and senseless violence. For a film that has come after so many styled like it, it doesn't really do much to add to the genre. Sure, there's plenty of flinching brutality to go around, but it's not anything we haven't seen before. It's crazy and disturbing, and ultimately hard to look away from, but at times Killing Ground feels like an excuse to showcase pointless violence. It's never bad, but sometimes, audiences should wonder when the particularly visible use of violence against women will end. Why is it that, unlike the father who is shot shortly after being taken hostage, the filmmakers decide to show far more violence against the women? Gripping? Maybe, but at what cost?

Killing Ground is a thrilling ride. It's definitely the type of movie that will make you think twice before wandering into the secluded wilderness. But, outside of its use of time, doesn't really offer anything that fresh. Sure, in the moment you may be at the edge of your seat, but by the end, will audiences really be satisfied? Maybe, but maybe not. It may leave you successfully horrified, but others may be left wishing they hadn't bothered. 6 out of 10.