Part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Like its national predecessor Wolf Creek, Killing Ground is a horror film that combines suspense and grotesque violence with engaging characters to produce a fine example of the genre that doesn’t simply rely on cheap scares and cliches to entertain the audience. The film follows young couple Sam (Harriet Dyer) and Ian (Ian Meadows), who decide to ring in the New Year by camping on a remote riverbank. However, their discovery of an abandoned tent containing distressed toddler Ollie (Liam and Riley Parkes), along with the appearance of suspicious locals German (Aaron Pedersen) and Chook (Aaron Glenane), results in their planned break turning into a desperate fight for survival.
First-time director and screenwriter Power provides a slow build-up to the subsequent violence, with ample screen time provided to developing Sam and Ian, as well as a previous set of victims in the form of secondary holidaying couple Rob (Julian Garner) and Margaret (Maya Stange) and their children – Ollie and troubled stepdaughter Em (Tiarnie Coupland). The inclusion of this other couple allows Power and editor Katie Flaxman to adopt a more non-linear approach than is usually seen in the genre, with Rob, Margaret and Em’s encounters with German and Chook intercut with the chronologically-later scenes of Sam and Ian.
This approach not only serves a welcome tension-forming alternative to the more fast-paced, jump scare-heavy approach taken by most contemporary American horror films, but also makes it easier to empathise with these characters as human beings with individual concerns and personalities. This is further helped by the characters of Sam and Ian being made more proactive than the archetypal horror protagonists. In particular, Ian’s expertise as a doctor enables him to attempt to help Ollie as well as German and Chook’s prospective victims, and Sam tries to fight off Chook’s advances – she pulls off a particularly impressive car stunt at the film’s climax that is impressively staged considering its relatively low budget.
However, if it wasn’t for the chillingly effective performances of Pedersen and Glenane, the twin threats of German and Chook wouldn’t be nearly as frightening and would rob the film of its ability to scare. Pedersen provides German with a smouldering, calculating screen presence that elevates the character beyond a mere backwoods hick stereotype seen in films such as Deliverance and more along the lines of a psychopath who calmly toys with his victims before disposing of them. In contrast, Glenane as Chook combines twitchy uncertainty and barely-restrained sexual aggression as the more impulsive of the two. His sexual threats towards Mia and later Sam are the closest the film comes to the uncomfortable themes of rape seen in 70’s horror cinema, most notably Last House on The Left and Straw Dogs.
Killing Ground has deservedly received critical acclaim at Sundance for its skillful storytelling and direction – it is a must-see for any fan of well-made horror films looking for an alternative to more formulaic mainstream output.