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Red Hill (2010)
Solid genre piece that doesn't take an eternity to make its point
Red Hill is the little movie that could... wrongly maligned by various sources, I went in with lowered expectations and came out highly anticipating the next P Hughes project.
In fact, it was far more enjoyable than that other 2010 Aussie film that had praise heaped on it. Honestly, how many movies about underworld crime families can we stomach? Yeesh.
But I digress. Like a good western, it slowly and effectively grows on you as it unfolds, creating an entirely believable world populated with authentic characters, in spite of its predictability -- man comes to town, man gets caught up in local trouble, locals don't trust him and it's up to him to climb out of the quagmire or succumb to said trouble.
Performances are consistently good and Ryan Kwanten shines in an Australian setting (more subtle and removed from the character he plays in True Blood), but Bisley out and out steals the show.
The film is rounded out by a beautiful ending and superb cinematography that somehow escaped the AFI's attention. Due credit to cinematographer Tim Hudson and the location itself (Omeo). In blu-ray it is a revelation. I can't remember ever seeing something so stunning shot in Australia. Every frame is art of the highest order.
And that is the shame of it all. Red Hill deserved at least some degree of box office success, but it tanked thanks to poor word of mouth... some Australian critics just can't stand the idea we continue to make excellent b-films and would do anything to sink the genre as a whole.
A solid 7 out of 10!
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004)
If Ed Wood were still around, this would be the kind of film he would make.
So much to live up to on such a small budget... which by no means should seal its fate. I've enjoyed far more low budget films than blockbusters.
THE GIST: A new bug, a new unit, paranoia, redemption, mass killings and an anti-hero, all packaged as a zombie flick. While 28 Days Later shows us how to succeed in re-inventing this genre on a small budget, ST2 fails spectacularly.
THE WASH-UP: Dreadful acting, poor dialogue, wobbly sets and an annoying score do not a good film make. Even when you have a kick-a** hero.
Those looking for a worthy follow-up to the 97 original will be sorely disappointed, to say the least. The irony of the first film is completely lost on this production team. While there are occasional hints of the subtle Neumeier touch, the director has made a dog's breakfast of the job, opting instead to bludgeon us with violent scenes laced with messages of comradeship and the unforgiving rules of the federation. It could have been done so much better.
The anti-hero, Dax (played by an excellent Richard Burgi), might be the only thing that compels you to watch this movie to it's end. The Dax moments make us ponder how it might have turned out if less CGI, fewer actors, some focus and a better director had helmed this thing. We'll just never know...