by Rob Dunne

Take the affable Aussie charm of Mick Dundee and combine it with the psychotic disposition of Hannibal Lector. And hey presto! You have the bad guy from Wolf Creek. This psycho certainly stands out as memorable within the genre.

The story opens predictably. Captions tell us that the story is based on true events. Then we meet the happy-go-lucky youths driving a beat up car in the middle of nowhere. Except the setting this time, instead of American Hicksville, is the Australian outback.

The kids are off to see Wolf Creek - the secluded site of a massive meteor crater. Considering the freaks they meet at a bar in Emu Creek (far less sinister sounding) on the way, you have to wonder why the hell they want to check out Wolf Creek at all. I had the same reaction when the lawyer decided to seek refuge with his family in "Cape Fear" (tempting fate just a little).

In any case, they arrive at Wolf Creek and their car breaks down (shocker). In the dead of night, along comes Mick (yes, same as Mr. Dundee) in his trusty tow-truck. However, this is where the dynamic between predator and prey differs from other slasher movies. Mick does not arrive like Leatherface wielding a chainsaw. Nor does he have that slack-jawed hillbilly inbred demeanor that just screams "I'm going to rape and eat you".

Mick is an alright bloke. Bit rough around the edges. Unrefined. But he really does seem like he just wants to help out. He nonchalantly offers to tow the car to his garage where he has spare parts to fix it. But he isn't pushy about it. He even tells them to hurry up and decide because he has to get a move on. Mick's casual approach is the key to his success. The kids take Mick up on his offer and off they go.

Even back at Mick's place, the banter continues as they all gather round a camp fire and listen to Mick's tales of the outback. However, there is a sense of dread building. The moment when Mick just glares at the guy in the group after an innocent quip is very, very unsettling. The audience knows that Mick is going to turn on them. It's just a matter of when and how bad. Believe me, when Mick shows his true colors, he is one evil bastard. Torture and screaming ensue.

Ultimately, I was disappointed with Wolf Creek. It had a lot of promise but failed to deliver. Mick was a truly menacing figure and the Australian outback shows what it really means to be in the middle of NOWHERE - even when a victim escapes, they are still screwed because there's nowhere to go (psycho's paradise). But the dread that suddenly turns to terror never reaches a worthy climax. I will always remember Mick, though.