"Listen! We all know what we're dealing with here. Jimmy Conway rides into this town, he'll be bringing Hell with him. Shoot to kill."
A decent modernised Aussie western revenge-thriller with some minor slasher traits. Very simple in structure, possibly too slight, if on the predictable side with its character building and infused motivations. It starts by trying to establish Ryan Kwanten's likeable constable, first day on the job and a pregnant wife at home, but soon that's all but forgotten when a storm comes into town. Now the focus is squarely on survival, where past acts open up wounds and our constable finds himself caught in the middle. There's competence to director Patrick Hughes' vision being stylishly handled with a picturesque rural backdrop, capable performances (especially Steve Bisley's town Sheriff) and excitingly staged cat and mouse encounters not afraid to bloody it up. Quite long in its set-up too. As once it begins, there's no sheltering from this encroaching storm. Sometimes it does defy logic in its unstoppable chaos. Still this does create suspense, though I gotta say it does lose some of its intensity when it comes to a certain plot reveal, yet it shouldn't surprise due to it being telegraphed by the actions of the town's characters.
P.s. I don't really get the panther sub-plot. Just felt unnecessary, and did nothing for the central plot.
A decent modernised Aussie western revenge-thriller with some minor slasher traits. Very simple in structure, possibly too slight, if on the predictable side with its character building and infused motivations. It starts by trying to establish Ryan Kwanten's likeable constable, first day on the job and a pregnant wife at home, but soon that's all but forgotten when a storm comes into town. Now the focus is squarely on survival, where past acts open up wounds and our constable finds himself caught in the middle. There's competence to director Patrick Hughes' vision being stylishly handled with a picturesque rural backdrop, capable performances (especially Steve Bisley's town Sheriff) and excitingly staged cat and mouse encounters not afraid to bloody it up. Quite long in its set-up too. As once it begins, there's no sheltering from this encroaching storm. Sometimes it does defy logic in its unstoppable chaos. Still this does create suspense, though I gotta say it does lose some of its intensity when it comes to a certain plot reveal, yet it shouldn't surprise due to it being telegraphed by the actions of the town's characters.
P.s. I don't really get the panther sub-plot. Just felt unnecessary, and did nothing for the central plot.