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Jesse Johnson from Prey. Photo/Terra King.
There's nothing better than discovering a really good movie. Especially, a really good horror movie that isn't about a slasher, a normal zombie, an uber zombie or (fill in the blank.)
Prey is just such a movie. A jewel yet to be discovered, at least in the US. However that is about to change.
There are several movies called "Prey" or with "Prey in their title so make sure to click the link above to to assure you go to the right website. It's a great site with lots of information on the movie and the actors.
Cast and Crew
Producer's Bobby Galinsky and Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman put together a script with a cast that is a winning combination.
Both Bobby and Elizabeth Produced and did some writing on this project. Their cast is full of young, hot actors and actresses, most are from Australia, however, one of the stars is a USA boy all the way.
Jesse Johnson as Gus. Poor Gus has just lost his job so he talks his doctor girlfriend into a road trip. Through the seriously huge desert of Australia.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte is the physician girlfriend named Kate who talks her friend to go with her on this road trip with Gus.
Kristin Sargent Plays Annika, a crystal carrying "new ager" friend of Kate who goes and brings her friend.
Ben Kermode plays Matt who is more interested in Gus than anyone else on the trip.
Natalie Walker Plays a Barrister (attorney) who has interests in one of her clients she is defending and an eye for Kate.
Christian Clark is Barrister Ling's client and male love interest.
Joe Hachem Pro Poker player, winner of the WSOP in 2005, makes a cameo as a motel owner playing poker online on two computers as our group of friends try to rent some rooms.
Plot
Starting out with a scary scene of what appears to be murder most demonic from the near past, some foreshadowing is revealed. Advance to the present day, but the past is never far away.
Six friends head off to the find the most secluded and best surfing beach in the world. We find out that "Gus" has just lost his job, his girlfriend "Kate" who is a doctor is burnt out to the point of exhaustion. The other characters all have situations in their personalities and lives that mesh together to make a motley crew. An interesting set of people that set off to find some fun and relaxation.
The desert of Australia becomes a seventh character early on in their trip. I got a quirky education by producer "Bobby Galinsky" about the vastness of the Australian desert. Much of the land is Aboriginal land. Indigenous people with beliefs of magic and "Dreamtime". Bobby takes a bit of poetic license with the meaning of "Dreamtime", however it works well in the movie.
Our group of friends stop for a break and some food. Kate meets up with a man who sells maps that come with a free gift, a necklace. Kate buys the map and chooses a necklace from the man's inventory. "The Man" quickly says her choice doesn't suit her and suggests another. She accepts and this strange character puts the necklace around her neck and clasps it for her. Then he vanishes as she looks away to the mirror to check on how it looks. Kate has several other little strange things happen that she chalks up to her state of exhaustion.
Kate suggests to the group a stop off at a swimming hole shown on the map for a quick swim, and off the main road and into a bit of an altered state they go, and the fun begins.
It is at this point the plot reveals itself to be a lightly comedic and heavily gory, scary film.
Quickly they have trouble with everything from hitting non existent pedestrians to car trouble that turns out to be deadly. Our group of friends also can't leave the area as every time they do, they just end up back where they stared. Enter the fiery demons. Heavily leaning on zombie characteristics, but being different horrors all together.
No spoilers here, however revealing that friend turns against friend is not revealing anything the viewer has already guessed. What the viewer doesn't guess are the twists the story takes. The revealing of an old trauma for one of the characters and the re-appearance of a 5,000 year old curse.
Reportedly based on a true story of two Americans who disappear in the Australian vastness in 1987, whose vehicle is found with supplies untouched just an hour away from a town. The vehicle is found in sand dunes near a sacred aboriginal site. Two years later, it is discovered the two men did make it back to the states and are found dead on the same day, 1,000 miles apart of natural causes. Was this a curse from the Aborigines? I tried to research this story and came up empty handed. Which dosen't mean the story isn't true, as mentioned above, many people get lost out in the western Australian desert. There was case after case and also a website with "missing" people from all over Australia, some of the cases where a bit strange.
Review
The atmosphere of the film is creepy, almost from the start. Acting is above average with a excellent chemistry between "Gus" and "Kate".
Gus played by "Jesse Johnson" is "Don Johnson's" son. He is a talent in his own right and handled himself well playing next to Natalie Bassingthwaighte who is a huge star in Australia, starring in a few very popular Aussie TV shows and also being a huge recording star. The producer referred to her as the "Briney Spears or Madonna" of Australia.
Other cast members also show charisma and that "something" that can take an actor far. Ben Kermode and Nancy Walker who are real life husband and wife, have little interaction on screen. Both are Aussies with talent. (Besides being a really nice couple of people.)
On what would be a nothing budget for a large production, but a fairly good sum for an indie, Galinsky and Howatt-Jackson brought this film in on time and under budget.
The movie has some effects that look very good. Not cheap like some movies try to get by on.
This film is a lot of fun to watch. It seems fresh. Being fresh in an industry where remakes and re-imaginings are announced everyday is an accomplishment in itself.
Where to see "Prey"
"Prey" has done very well on DVD in Australia. The game plan for the states is to release to 30 screens mostly in the west. Brenden Theaters has supported this project and will be showing it on some of it's screens.
PPV will also be a place to see "Prey". It will start out with 8 million homes with cable PPV in July/August. If it does well it will go to 20 million homes on PPV.
DVD release will follow via Lionsgate.
Check your cable company to see if it is there for viewing. If not, let them know you would like to see it.
Stay tuned here for updates regarding releases and also profiles of major players in this film.
Below are photos from the premiere of "Prey".
Natalie Walker and Ben Kermode.
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Scary undead types.
More of the not so dead or alive???
There is much more coming about this film. Interviews and profiles of the stars, producers and a slideshow.
Comments
Sadly DVD sales did not do well in Australia as this film has not been released on DVD yet! The opening weekend of this disaster grossed AU$342 at the box office... Are you sure this 'review' isn't an advertisement?
I'm pretty sure it isn't an advertisement (sometimes reviews are considered ads.) I reported what I was told during interviews with cast and crew. I would think you would want the film to do well, since you were involved in making it.
This is a good film and it will find it's audience and it will have the success it has. That's the way the movies work, because of someone involved or despite of them.
thanks for reading.
terra
The film was unequivocally panned in Australia. There were a handful of people in the cinema where I had the displeasure of seeing it. The acting, writing, effects, editing and direction were all ATROCIOUS. The above "review" is either the result of the producer's pulling strings (just as they did with the writing/edit ... hence the birth of 'Oscar D'Roccster') or the result of some clever wining, dining and partying that have been used all over the shop to distract critics and audiences from how terrible the film really is. "Prey" sets a new low for Australian cinema -- and Natalie Bassingthwaighte is no Madonna -- although her acting ability (?) is on par with Britney ... remember "Crossroads"?
George Miller and Oscar D'Roccster are attached to this film AS DIRECTORS. I didn't mention the "controversy" because it isn't part of the review. I am a film EXAMINER. Not a biographer or investigative reporter. And I don't appreciate this being fought over in MY comment section. AND I also don't appreciate being accused of giving my good review after being "wined and Dined" I HAD A COOKIE. If that is what is considered wining and dining, I apparently have been ignoring it for years.
If you didn't like the film, why is your name on it as director....George and Oscar. Go fight this out somewhere else. I stand by my review. I enjoyed the movie, as did many many people in the audience so that is what I know about it, and that is all I needed to know for a review.
This is my last words on this situation...
"Oscar D'Roccster" is a pseudonym. George Miller walked from the project during the edit. Oscar doesn't exist. The producers gave the film a fake director ... because Miller wanted his name removed from the credits.
The comments written above were made by neither George nor Oscar - just by people who borrowed their names. I hope it was a good cookie :)
Hi Reality, You sound like someone who knows the ins and outs of this film. Thanks for the enlightenment. The cookie was ok, it was a butter type cookie. I actually believe I also had a celery stick with some ranch dressing.
thanks so much
terra
This film was widely panned in Australia as absolute rubbish! And it is!!
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