The long-awaited sequel to Wolf Creek is finally here. For me, that wait was only 24 hours because I only caught up on Wolf Creek to prepare for covering Wolf Creek 2 for CraveOnline. I appreciated it as an Australian sort of Texas Chainsaw Massacre style raw, gritty horror, appropriately unpleasant as it were, but Wolf Creek 2 is some next level horror.
Opening with the exact same disclaimer about disappearances surrounding Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek 2 gives us a Mick Taylor (John Jarratt) prologue that is like his James Bond opening stunt. You’re not sure who the protagonist of the sequel is for a while, and I’m not going to ruin it. You get the gist: tourists in Wolf Creek, Mick Taylor, bad stuff happens.
Wolf Creek 2 is so ridiculously gory it’s almost irreverent. It still has that impact of “Aw, man” because it’s not just that the victim didn’t escape, it’s that Mick completely violated them. That raises an interesting aspect of Mick as a horror icon. We often find ourselves sympathizing with or rooting for Freddy, Jason, Chucky, maybe even Leatherface, and definitely Norman Bates. You almost cheer Mick on when he faces up against some traffic cops in the beginning, but then writer/director Greg McLean reminds us that Mick Taylor is a rapist. No matter what part of Mick Taylor is a rebellious power fantasy, he does things you really cannot get behind.
Wolf Creek ramped up to that relentless third act; Wolf Creek 2 begins at that third act and remains as relentless as ever. It is insanely Australian, riddled with trivia and iconic Outback visuals. There is more of a chase and it covers more ground than the original, which opens up the film but never gives you a moment to feel like you might be safe. Everywhere is still Mick’s territory.
As a franchise, Wolf Creek 2 firmly establishes a paradigm that is infinitely repeatable. You’ve already got your opening text, and any number of hapless hikers can run afoul of Mick. Mick has his trademark kills, the “head on a stick” and sniper rifle that return, like Freddy’s glove or Jason’s machete. There is still a bit of torture porn, a term I use with affection because the Saw and Hostel movies effectively dealt with some significant themes via the extreme narrative device of torture. For Mick, torture is less about making a point than just forcing a protagonist to endure true hell. Even if they escape, there’s no undoing that trauma.
Wolf Creek 2 is more fun though. For all that discomfort, there is so much insanity in Wolf Creek 2 that I just have to marvel at everything McLean threw at us. It’s a more beautifully shot film than the original too. You know I don’t like handheld camerawork but I appreciate it as a necessity of low budget horror and not inappropriate for the raw, gritty terror of Wolf Creek. Notice how much more effective the composed shots of Wolf Creek 2 are, including some beautiful images of the outback landscape to juxtapose against the horror. Mick remains as scary as ever. He is so powerful and evil, you feel like you’re screwed just watching it, let alone as screwed as the people he’s messing with.
Perhaps an animal cruelty warning is in order for those who are sensitive to that sort of thing. I think at this level, it’s part of the deal. Mick Taylor ain’t gonna stop for a pet. For someone like me, who simply does not get scared despite my love for the horror genre and the creativity within it, to feel this relentlessly assaulted yet crave more, ensures that Wolf Creek is now one of Franchise Fred’s top priorities.
Fred Topel is a staff writer at CraveOnline and the man behind Best Episode Ever and The Shelf Space Awards. Follow him on Twitter at @FredTopel.
