Wolf Creek

Yet another in the long line of Blair Witch wannabes, this Australian import falls flat. Things start out promisingly enough—the first half is set up beautifully, with three backpacking friends stranded alone in the dark, deserted remote area of the Outback called Wolf Creek, where a meteorite once left a huge chasm in the earth. After several hours, a seemingly friendly local truck driver emerges from the darkness to offer some highly welcomed assistance. (So far, so good.) But sadly, the film gets predictable—emulating every recent horror hit including the aforementioned Blair Witch Project and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and losing whatever tension was building with an orgy of graphic violence. For those who demand nothing more than a gross-out time at the movies, Wolf Creek may provide a nice holiday diversion. Unfortunately, much of the true classic horror potential the film exhibits in its early scenes is left to rot with the nubile young bodies on display.