/ tbc

Part of GYFF @ GFT, Wedneday 16th February

First time writer/director Ben C. Lucas tackles the vapid, obnoxious domain of over-privileged public school youth in this technically arresting slice of Aussie doom-mongering. A film of dazzling energy and verve, heavily influenced by Rian Johnson’s Brick, there’s a nagging pointlessness that prevents it reaching top of the class.

Best looking computer geek on the planet Darren (Oliver Ackland) is step-brother to odious megalomaniac swim team skipper Zack (Alex Russell) and sweet on nubile square Xandrie (Adelaide Clemens). In a world where adults are only alluded to, Zack has the rule over his old man’s outrageous, labyrinthine glass-fronted shag-pad and utilises it to full effect with soirees Caligula would be proud of. At one such event, Xandie is drugged, violated by Zack and his knuckle-head chums and left for dead on the beach. What follows is part 70s exploitation revenge flick, part scabrous attack on rich-kid consumer porn such as Gossip Girl.

Lucas favours broad archetypes as conduits for his assault on upper-class youth ‘values’, with a couple of tweaks. One effective scene sees Zack break down in his car, asking, “What are you doing?” after a particularly foul encounter with his victim. Bringing out a full repertoire of tricks (jump-cuts, flashback, slow-motion, fantasy sequences…), the film is never less than visually stunning. The emphasis on 21st century communication in the form of skin-crawlingly spelt and punctuated texts and ‘tinterweb posts is particularly wry and affecting; the party scenes mesmerisingly shot and scored, with none of the glorification and voyeuristic gratification of C4’s repulsive Skins.

But, why? Schools have an insidious, despicable hierarchy? We get it. There’s an aimless, hedonistic ideal prevalent amongst the young and affluent? We get it. The internet is creating a group complicit in whilst accepting no responsibility for horrific events? We get it. When your targets are as obviously vacuous and contemptible as Gossip Girl and The Hills, why bother?