I feel its time to update the standard rules for what not to do in a horror film. Along with not going into the dark basement to check out the mysterious sound and not having per-marital teenage sex in a tent or cabin, we should now officially add not to hitchhike whilst secluded in a remote, unfamiliar land. Going all the way back to THE HITCHER (1986) and overseas to HOSTEL (2005), the ground work has been set for Mick Taylor to put the proverbial nail in the coffin of making this officially a new rule.
We first met good ol’ Mick Taylor, played by John Jarratt, back in 2005 with WOLF CREEK, a film that introduced audiences to an altogether new kind of serial killer. Allegedly inspired by true events — therefore making the film all that much more terrifying — WOLF CREEK unleashed one of the most refreshingly entertaining horror movie villains in years. Devilishly cunning and sadistic, yet playful and humorous, Mick Taylor is a slasher that brings some of what made Freddy Krueger a household name to a monster based in reality.
In true horror franchise fashion, WOLF CREEK leaves the audience with an open ending, ambiguously leaving the fate of Mick Taylor uncertain. As should only be expected, WOLF CREEK 2 opens more or less where the previous film left off. For those familiar with the first film, this continuity is upheld by a comment from a police officer insinuating Mick’s truck looks like it was driven off a cliff. If this doesn’t make sense to you, that tells me you need to rush out and rent WOLF CREEK. Honestly, you won’t regret the $3 or $4 investment.
Director and co-writer Greg McLean, also known for killer ‘gator flick ROGUE (2007), knows how to make genre fans happy, bringing back one of the first truly popular horror villains in recent memory since the heyday on the mid-late 80s. McLean’s direction along with Jarratt’s sense of humor and uncanny ability to charm or frighten the audience on the turn of a dime, makes for quite an unnerving ride through the Australian outback. One moment Mick’s friendly and funny, in a backwoods redneck sort of way, and the next thing you know he’s deadly serious, straight-faced and ready to snap. Armed with two trust weapons of choice, a large hunting knife and a scoped hunting rifle, Mick once again sets out for tourist season in the hot, dry Australian desert.
WOLF CREEK 2, for those who may be concerned, is not the same film rehashed purely for box office profits. No, this second installment does have a decidedly different feel, where its necessary. What remains the same is Mick’s twisted take on being a civilized enforcer of decent human character, and of course his trademark laugh. Once again, you’ll know what I mean the moment you hear that chuckle. For a deviant murderer, Mick is surprisingly patient and courteous, that is until you cross him or offend his sense of civilized behavior. However, one of the things that has changed with WOLF CREEK 2 is Mick’s level of patient and tolerance. Can we really blame him, though? After all that those ungrateful tourists did to him and his property in the first film, how could a man not be a tad short-fused?
With this subtle but apparent shift in Mick’s mood, WOLF CREEK 2 does lose just a touch of the charm we experienced in the first film. As much as we love Mick for who he is, the added bitterness to his character and urgency to his need to fulfill his violent nature does detract a touch from the thrill. Then again, what charm is lost here is made up for by Mick’s increased ingenuity in torturing and terrorizing his victims. Part of Mick’s appeal is that he’s smarter than the average hillbilly persona he conveys, making him all the more dangerous. WOLF CREEK 2 focuses more on the cat and mouse aspect of Mick’s relationship with his victim, the thrill of the chase, so to speak, whereas the first film spent more time introducing us to what makes Mick tick.
WOLF CREEK 2 still maintains that wonderfully demented sense of humor, but draws back on the laughter a bit from the first film. Mick just seems a level or two more serious about his work now, which means bad things for the hitchhiking foreign couple who have the misfortune of meeting Mick. Where so many slasher films focus on body counts and creatively excessive gore — not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that — WOLF CREEK 2 pays more attention to the details, the subtle nuances of deceiving, terrorizing, capturing and torturing one’s victims. Where’s the fun in simply killing your victims the first chance you get?
WOLF CREEK 2 is currently available through Video On Demand and will open in U.S. theaters on May 16th, 2014.
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
