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#769 - Red Hill
Patrick Hughes, 2010
A young constable transfers to a small country town at the same time that a murderous convict breaks free to take his revenge on the local police force.
Going on the basis of its plot alone, Red Hill isn't going to win points for originality even if it does win them for brevity. A young city-dweller (Ryan Kwanten) and his pregnant wife (Claire van der Boom) move to the eponymous small town in order to live a less stressful life than they would have in the big smoke. However, despite Red Hill's sleepy exterior resulting in the local police becoming extremely docile as a result, it turns out that Kwanten has moved in at the worst possible time. Just after he starts working, a convicted murderer (Tom E. Lewis) escapes from prison and starts making his way back towards Red Hill. The chief (Steve Bisley) naturally musters any deputies and allies that he can in order to bring Lewis down. It's pretty familiar when all is said and done and the story doesn't take any especially surprising turns as it progresses. The performers don't fare much better as a result; Kwanten is something of a blank slate as your typical honest cop with a family, while Bisley can only bring so much crusty personality to yet another gruff sheriff (which also speaks for just about every one who serves under him). By these standards, Lewis's turn as a silent, disfigured killer who slowly and methodically takes his vengeance on those who wronged him is one of the better ones as he fills each frame he appears in with palpable menace.
Despite being a bit lacking in terms of both plot and characterisation, Red Hill is at least able to provide a half-decent film to compensate for its narrative weaknesses. The outback scenery definitely looks a treat, while the small town makes for a good setting for shadowy showdowns and destructive rampages. The grittiness of the camerawork definitely aids the film's tale of vengeance and infuses everything from barely-lit streets to claustrophobic air vents with a sense of realism. The technical aptitude definitely extends to what could arguably pass for action, which makes good use of simple effects in conveying some straightforward acts of violence. Red Hill is far from essential but it's not that bad a watch. It's not trying to be especially deep or innovative, but it gets the job done just fine and without major complaint. Unfortunately, there's not nearly enough personality or skill on display to make it stand out as anything more than just a competently-made B-movie that can be watched once and then forgotten.
Patrick Hughes, 2010
A young constable transfers to a small country town at the same time that a murderous convict breaks free to take his revenge on the local police force.
Going on the basis of its plot alone, Red Hill isn't going to win points for originality even if it does win them for brevity. A young city-dweller (Ryan Kwanten) and his pregnant wife (Claire van der Boom) move to the eponymous small town in order to live a less stressful life than they would have in the big smoke. However, despite Red Hill's sleepy exterior resulting in the local police becoming extremely docile as a result, it turns out that Kwanten has moved in at the worst possible time. Just after he starts working, a convicted murderer (Tom E. Lewis) escapes from prison and starts making his way back towards Red Hill. The chief (Steve Bisley) naturally musters any deputies and allies that he can in order to bring Lewis down. It's pretty familiar when all is said and done and the story doesn't take any especially surprising turns as it progresses. The performers don't fare much better as a result; Kwanten is something of a blank slate as your typical honest cop with a family, while Bisley can only bring so much crusty personality to yet another gruff sheriff (which also speaks for just about every one who serves under him). By these standards, Lewis's turn as a silent, disfigured killer who slowly and methodically takes his vengeance on those who wronged him is one of the better ones as he fills each frame he appears in with palpable menace.
Despite being a bit lacking in terms of both plot and characterisation, Red Hill is at least able to provide a half-decent film to compensate for its narrative weaknesses. The outback scenery definitely looks a treat, while the small town makes for a good setting for shadowy showdowns and destructive rampages. The grittiness of the camerawork definitely aids the film's tale of vengeance and infuses everything from barely-lit streets to claustrophobic air vents with a sense of realism. The technical aptitude definitely extends to what could arguably pass for action, which makes good use of simple effects in conveying some straightforward acts of violence. Red Hill is far from essential but it's not that bad a watch. It's not trying to be especially deep or innovative, but it gets the job done just fine and without major complaint. Unfortunately, there's not nearly enough personality or skill on display to make it stand out as anything more than just a competently-made B-movie that can be watched once and then forgotten.