Dying Breed (2008)

Director:

Jody Dwyer

Writers:

Michael Boughen (screenplay)
Jody Dwyer (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 November 2008 (Australia)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

Dying Breed interweaves the two most fascinating icons of Tasmanian history: the extinct Tasmanian tiger...

Cast

Bille Brown	...	Harvey
Peter Docker	...	Alexander Pierce
Brendan Donoghue	...	Gareth
Mirrah Foulkes	...	Nina
Elaine Hudson	...	Ethel
Sally McDonald	...	Ruth
Nathan Phillips	...	Jack
Ken Radley	...	Liam
Melanie Vallejo	...	Rebecca
Leigh Whannell	...	Matt

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Ambience Entertainment

Its Tradition....and I like it.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I was lucky enough to catch the midnight showing of Dying Breed at this year's Tribeca Film Festival, and want to get my thoughts down immediately. In short, its a solid horror thriller movie that I would recommend you see, if you are fan of this genre. If I had to try to compare it to any of the more recent horror films, I'd say its 1 part Cabin Fever, 1 part Devil's Rejects, and 1 part Hostel.

The film is based on two bits of historical fact. First there is Alexander "the Pieman" Pierce, who back when Tasmania was used as a prison island for Britain's worst lot, escaped from the prison and resorted to cannibalism to survive. The Pieman's cuisine of choice has spawned a slight tradition in the backwoods of Tasmania, where hikers have historically ventured into and never returned. The film's second historical basis lies with the mystery of the Tasmanian tiger, which most scientists deem extinct. Not our protagonist, Nina (Mirrah Foulkes), who is out to find the tiger and finish the work her sister began before she mysteriously drowned out in the bush.

Enter our two couples, Nina and her boyfriend, Matt (Leigh Whannel), and Matt's old buddy (your standard obnoxious peripheral character in horror movies) and his girlfriend (your standard pretty and clueless body) who are along for the ride. I would say one of the movie's strengths is the great cinematography that takes you along with the foursome as they enter the beautiful but eventually spooky backwoods. They eventually end up in a town that hearkens you back to the West Virginians in Cabin Fever, serious backwoods nut jobs. From a strange girl, to a male only town, to a mysterious figure lurking in the woods you can tell that things are getting weird and that these 'tourists' are entering a sketchy situation.

From the town, the foursome venture via boat deeper into the bush. This movie succeeds because you have good tension building elements; 1) the woods, caves, jungles, etc; 2) messed up locals with a tradition they need to keep alive; and 3) a good bit of blood, flesh flying around, and things called "man-traps", I mean you cant go wrong there. This is not a gore fest, and special effects are minimal. The ending takes you for a good ride, but ultimately this wasn't a crazy adrenaline pumping horror movie. The bad guys are bad, weird, and a bit grotesque but are basically people who act and look pretty weird, nothing that'll make you jump out of your seat. Its cool though, and it works.

Like most movies in this genre you have the "god these people are stupid" moments, there are a bit too many "you stay here, I'll be right backs" and our audience laughed at the idiocy of some decisions, but the movie is not campy as campy horror movies go, it tries and largely succeeds at keeping to a dark, serious undertone. On top of that, the reality of their situation does not seem to ever dawn on the foursome. One brief non-spoiler example is that certain townies end up all the way out in the bush with the foursome, and the foursome never really seem to recognize just how strange it is that these bonified weirdos just happened upon them in the middle of the woods. This realization, the fear that occurs when the character is forced to contemplate how completely screwed/messed up their situation is, is what makes horror movies horrifying. The characters almost seem oblivious to the situation, and honestly I get more freaked out when I see the actors on film freaking out. There is a twist or two that doesn't jive with logic, but Im not complaining. Not a classic, but certainly worth your time if you want to see a horror movie based on cannibalism.