Featured Audience Ratings

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] It would have been nice to see Greg McLean add to the man-eating monster movie by offering something more than the standard fare. He made a great splash on the scene and took the typical cat and mouse, rape… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] It would have been nice to see Greg McLean add to the man-eating monster movie by offering something more than the standard fare. He made a great splash on the scene and took the typical cat and mouse, rape and run flick and created some insanely nerve-wrecking suspense with Wolf Creek which is a very tough, massively under rated horror film. When I first saw that film it absolutely terrified me, and in addition he demonstrated just how much he loves genre cinema. But with Rogue all he actually does is show how much he adores horror. At first it would have seemed ideal for McLean to make a 'SyFy' style monster movie and although Rogue boasts some pretty suspenseful moments generally it doesn't add up to very much. It starts off pretty boring and tedious but eventually picks up after the 40 minute mark. It boasts some great acting from it's unknown cast and some dazzling creature effects. It's also shot with directorial style and features a satisfying finale. Put it this way if you've seen as many clumsily built B movies about man-eating crocodiles as me you'll take great pleasure in watching Rogue. However I expected more from Greg McClean because he really knows how to perfect tremendous horror. I did take a liking to the film because it's executed with good intentions and respectability but it's utter unremarkability bothered me quite a bit. It's not his best film by a fair bit, but all the good things about it make up for everything else. Which includes great gore, eery atmospherics and the beauty of quiet suspense.

• Lewis C

  
  Rogue is a simple but effective Australian horror flick. The story setup is basic, with a group of tourists ending up off the beaten path during a river sightseeing trip, and stranded within easy reach of the jaws of a monstrous crocodile. I had tried watching Rogue once a few years… More
  Rogue is a simple but effective Australian horror flick. The story setup is basic, with a group of tourists ending up off the beaten path during a river sightseeing trip, and stranded within easy reach of the jaws of a monstrous crocodile. I had tried watching Rogue once a few years ago, but didn't give it more than a few minutes before I turned it off and watched another movie. Something about how it begins failed to catch my interest back then, but I've become such a big Radha Mitchell fan since then that I had to go back and give it another try. And I'm glad I did. Rogue is nothing genre-changing, but it does have some thrills to offer and will admirably serve if you're looking for this kind of a movie. The cast is decent, with a few faces you've probably seen (the aforementioned Mitchell, as well as Michael Vartan, a teenage Mia Wasikowska, and Sam Worthington), but the real star is the croc. The special effects are petty good for a movie of this budget, and as the croc is on-screen more Rogue gets more and more interesting. The finale is pretty awesome, as a result. Recommended.

• Robert C

  
  Ever wonder what one of those cheesy SyFy channel movies would be like if they: A: Had better writers. B: Had a bigger budget. C: Could attract better actors. Welll wonder no more! While the basic story is about as interesting as a made for SyFy movie...that is where the… More
  Ever wonder what one of those cheesy SyFy channel movies would be like if they: A: Had better writers. B: Had a bigger budget. C: Could attract better actors. Welll wonder no more! While the basic story is about as interesting as a made for SyFy movie...that is where the similarities end. This film is beautifully shot, has decent dialog and character development and is quite intense at times. Radha Mitchell and Michael Vartan are pretty solid as the two leads, while Sam Worthington and Mia Wasikowska (who are two fairly "big names" now) pop up in smaller roles. All in all a decent film.

• Jeff "

  
  Rogue has got to be the best killer croc film ever made. Aussie film maker Greg McLean helms this film, and considering he made a superb horror film with Wolf Creek, this is a terrific follow up. As with Lake Placid, Rogue is the story of a killer croc. But unlike that film, Rogue is… More
  Rogue has got to be the best killer croc film ever made. Aussie film maker Greg McLean helms this film, and considering he made a superb horror film with Wolf Creek, this is a terrific follow up. As with Lake Placid, Rogue is the story of a killer croc. But unlike that film, Rogue is a serious horror film with maybe two comical moments. The cast here do a terrific job. The story follows an American journalist who is sent in Australian outback to do a story. He takes a river boat tour and all seems to go well, but then the tour group spot something that looks like a person in distress. They go to help, and they come face to face with a man eating crocodile. Roguie is a tense, suspense filled horror film that delivers terrific scares and the films pacing is terrific. Rogue is a superbly crafted killer croc film and every aspect of the film works well due to the fact that this is a well scripted film. Though somewhat similar to Jaws, Rogue still manages to be different enough and is actually the best film of a killer creature since Jaws. The film has plenty of jolts and tense moments and director Greg McLean is a fine horror director. If you like these types of films, then give Rogue a viewing. A good mixed with a good story equals a film that belongs alongside Jaws as one of the best killer creature films. Definitely an improvement over Lake Placid, Rogue takes out the comedy and is a straight forward Horror flick with loads of tension. The end result is very impressive.

• Bruce B

  
  A pretty good film by Dimension Films, A group of people on a outback cruise looking for crocks find more then they want a giant croc. Great special effects, neat scenes a good Saturday afternoon flick, 4 Stars

• Ken S

  
  Really solid entry into the killer croc genre.

• Dean !

  
  Probably the best film of its type. I have seen a few films that were based around avoiding a huge Croc in perilous circumstances. Some had really bad effects like Crocodile, or just plain cheesey like Lake Placid 2, Blood Surf. This was more like another film called Black water. I… More
  Probably the best film of its type. I have seen a few films that were based around avoiding a huge Croc in perilous circumstances. Some had really bad effects like Crocodile, or just plain cheesey like Lake Placid 2, Blood Surf. This was more like another film called Black water. I found this more interesting though and the Crocodile looks more believable. Worth checking out.

• E.J. B

  
  Rogue is an amazing piece of horror cinema up until the final showdown with the massive 25-foot croc. Pity. But Greg McLean still deserves a lot of commendation for making a horror film that relies on pure old fashioned suspense as opposed to gore and a huge body count. The premise… More
  Rogue is an amazing piece of horror cinema up until the final showdown with the massive 25-foot croc. Pity. But Greg McLean still deserves a lot of commendation for making a horror film that relies on pure old fashioned suspense as opposed to gore and a huge body count. The premise is totally believable and scary. The setting is as great a setting as you will find in a movie. Just like his previous film Wolf Creek, McLean sets the action against the Australian outback. He shows the environment as its own character, one that poses its own kind of threat to the characters. These locations are downright incredible to look at. Also praiseworthy is the A-quality acting that comes out of all the actors. They create real characters that you sympathize with. I totally bought how everyone reacted to the situation. Rogue is definitely a horror film worth watching, and I really want to give it four stars. But the ending just didn't do it for me. The CGI is flimsy, and the final encounter between Michael Vartan and the croc feels too much like Arnold vs the Predator. I won't say what happens, but it requires too much suspension of disbelief. It would have worked for me if the film was going for the cheesy B-movie creature feature feel, but it wasn't. Maybe if Arnold WAS in this movie instead of Michael Vartan....I don't believe he's fought a crocodile yet.

• Luke B

  
  Yay for big killer animal movies. Especially Crocodilian's. Though nowhere near as fun as Lake Placid, it is a lot more interesting than the snoozefest that was Black Water. This is a pretty serious croc movie, but doesn't skimp on tension or badassery. It's amazing how… More
  Yay for big killer animal movies. Especially Crocodilian's. Though nowhere near as fun as Lake Placid, it is a lot more interesting than the snoozefest that was Black Water. This is a pretty serious croc movie, but doesn't skimp on tension or badassery. It's amazing how a well made film can still fall into such obvious traps, without becoming dull. There are cliched characters and situations. Rope walk over dangerous water anybody? Great acting and an impressive CG crocodile make up for it all. The croc is amazing really. From the CGI, to the sound department, this croc seemsreal. He moves like a croc, which is both terrifying and sometimes comical. Rogue is like a well made sponge cake. Simple and similar to previous efforts, but is still pissing good.

• Derek A

  
  The big question here is, do we have another killer croc movie a la Lake Placid? Answer: No........ and well, damnit, yes we do. <i>Rogue</i> is ultimately better than your typical killer croc movie. But let's face it, how over-dramatic was Lake Placid?… More
  The big question here is, do we have another killer croc movie a la Lake Placid? Answer: No........ and well, damnit, yes we do. <i>Rogue</i> is ultimately better than your typical killer croc movie. But let's face it, how over-dramatic was Lake Placid? C'mon... This Australian version of the killer croc succeeds because it doesn't inject us with a surreal beast that has been genetically mutated by government nuclear waste, or anything outlandish like that... it's just a real big hungry beast! It keeps the look and feel of the crocodile authentic. Also, the croc itself is amazing looking, even for a low budget film like this. Technology has come a long way. I love how the director stays true to realism by the actions of the killer croc. It's not doing anything abnormal, and even executes the "spin" when it grabs on to something that attempts to resist. Very realistic indeed.... I'm beginning to grow fond of Radha Mitchell as an actress... she put in a wonderful performance here in this film. She wasn't given a whole lot to work with, but she was clearly the best actor in this group. The male lead role went to a very talented, but unheard of Michael Vartan (girls might remember him as the "hot" teacher from <i>Never Been Kissed</i>) who displayed a great range of versatility in his part. However, the rest of the cast was all garbage - sans the witty, comedic beer guzzling Aussie Neal played by Stephen Curry. They were bland, boring and too similar. I had a hard time deciphering who was married to whom... then I realized I didn't care. I had zero empathy for any of them. <i>Instead of leaning back wide-eyed in suspense, I was leaning forward with a sadistic smirk anticipating the glorious devouring of these ridiculously stupid characters. </i> <p> <i>Rogue</i> suffers from extreme predictability, and plot holes long enough to swallow the Outback. I don't want to delve into it because I don't wish to spoil the story for anyone. But the film's lack of common sense is absurd and completely laughable. Despite all the ground it makes in this genre, <i>Rogue</i> is still constricted by it's own underlying flaws. Absolutely loved the Outback scenery, and the female Aussie accent tho ;)

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Welcome to the Terrortory"</i> An idyllic wildlife cruise disintegrates into terror when a party of tourists are stalked by a massive man-eating crocodile. Pete McKell, a cynical American travel writer, joins a disparate group of holiday-makers on a river… More
  <i>"Welcome to the Terrortory"</i> An idyllic wildlife cruise disintegrates into terror when a party of tourists are stalked by a massive man-eating crocodile. Pete McKell, a cynical American travel writer, joins a disparate group of holiday-makers on a river cruise through the waters of Kakadu National Park. Initially Pete clashes with their tour captain, Kate, a feisty young woman who assumes he is just another 'city-slicker' in search of a quick thrill. After an uneventful day cruising the river, Kate is reluctantly persuaded to steer their boat into unexplored territory. They discover a secluded lake but terror strikes when their craft receives a powerful blow from beneath the murky depths and begins to sink. With little choice, she beaches the vessel on the closest dry land -a tiny mud island. With a rising tide and only half an hour of daylight left, fear grips the group as they realize they are trapped in the lair of a 'rogue' crocodile, governed only by its need to hunt and kill. Begrudgingly, Pete and Kate join forces to keep hysteria at bay and in the process start to see beyond their initial impressions. Their first attempt to escape fails, but then Pete has an idea - they must trap the crocodile to enable the group to flee to the other side of the island whilst Kate swims for help. Pete volunteers to stand guard, but without warning, the beast breaks free and targets Kate who fails to resurface. As darkness descends and the muddy waters rise, a terrifying struggle ensues with only one probable outcome death. <b><u>Review</u></b> Rogue all in all, is a solid effort. Wolf Creek director Greg McLean manages to build up the tension only showing glimpses of the horrible monster that lies beneath the swamp for the first half of the movie. These little glimpses alone will definitely scare the bejesus out of you as it doesn't rely on "scare-you-with-a-black-cat" from somewhere like the current trend today in the horror genre. Like I said, he builds and builds the tension, slowly scaring you to death as it all leads up to one mind-blowing, heart pounding finale. Another factor is the beast itself, the killer Saltwater crocodile. It came off as pretty convincing, the way they rendered the texture, the skin, the whole shebang. The movement of the killer croc was spot-on too. And unlike Lake Placid where the crocodile is as big as the HMS Titanic, this one stayed real giving the killer croc a believable size. All in all, if you crave for some spooky thrills and killer beasts, I suggest you go see this one you won't be disappointed.

• A.D. V

  
  Slow but worthwhile entry in the giant killer animal genre. Boasts a good cast, great score and decent (usually) CG.

• Mark H

  
  Australian horror film about a killer crocodile is essentially the umpteenth retelling of <i>Jaws</i>. But wait a minute! This suspenseful well-paced version of "When Animals Attack" isn't half bad. Superior cinematography and music give this horror film… More
  Australian horror film about a killer crocodile is essentially the umpteenth retelling of <i>Jaws</i>. But wait a minute! This suspenseful well-paced version of "When Animals Attack" isn't half bad. Superior cinematography and music give this horror film the feel of quality.

• Steve K

  
  The U.S. distributors gave this film a bum rap, dumping it on a couple of screens before releasing it to DVD. There were quite a few of us, I think, that were highly curious about the film after seeing McLean's shocking Wolf Creek. Sadly, while the film is competently done,… More
  The U.S. distributors gave this film a bum rap, dumping it on a couple of screens before releasing it to DVD. There were quite a few of us, I think, that were highly curious about the film after seeing McLean's shocking Wolf Creek. Sadly, while the film is competently done, there simply isn't that much you can do with this sub-genre of film. Kudos to McLean and his team for keeping the beast realistic in its actions and motives (and size), but it's still a bunch of generic, underdeveloped characters fighting to stay alive in the usual croc-on-the-loose-in-the-wild kind of ways. Certainly not bad, but sadly nothing to gab on about like Wolf Creek. Note and minor spoiler for parents or the squeamish: there are shots in the film of an apparent real photograph of the remains of a 12 year old boy being pulled from the stomach of a gator before the child became too digested. It is truly horrifying to look at.

• Brian D

  
  What a waste of time.Was expecting something really good like lake placid or jaws. What you do get is a slow slow movie with most of the kill done off screen and thats that nothing really much happens. From the director of wolf creek with no gore what a disappoining experence. Watch… More
  What a waste of time.Was expecting something really good like lake placid or jaws. What you do get is a slow slow movie with most of the kill done off screen and thats that nothing really much happens. From the director of wolf creek with no gore what a disappoining experence. Watch Lake Placid instead!

• Dean M

  
  Really shocking and thrilling Aussie film I ever watched since <i>Jaws</i>. American actor Michael Vartan (TV's <i>Alias</i>) is like Roy Scheider who should do something to defeat a large and dangerously creature. Believe it, this Aussie movie is more… More
  Really shocking and thrilling Aussie film I ever watched since <i>Jaws</i>. American actor Michael Vartan (TV's <i>Alias</i>) is like Roy Scheider who should do something to defeat a large and dangerously creature. Believe it, this Aussie movie is more better than USA's <i>Lake Placid</i>. In the cinematography and overall effect, this is the most accomplished creature feature made since <i>Jurassic Park</i>.

• Craig S

  
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Greg McLean. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Michael Vartan, Radha Mitchell, John Jarratt, Heather Mitchell, Sam Worthington, Stephen Curry. <i><< "Well, they can jump right out, they use there tails… More
  <u><b>Directed by:</u></b> Greg McLean. <u><b>Starring:</u></b> Michael Vartan, Radha Mitchell, John Jarratt, Heather Mitchell, Sam Worthington, Stephen Curry. <i><< "Well, they can jump right out, they use there tails to propel. I mean sometimes they come right up to you"..."So, it could come into the boat right?"..."You'll be alright, so long as you don't go into the water." >></i> The story follows an American journalist who travels, who takes a trip to Australia and ends up on a tour boat with a group of others. When one spots a flair going off in the distance, it is the tour guides duty to investigate the event and soon meets the stuff of legend...a giant 30 foot man eating crocodile. The plots simple enough, but that is exactly what you would expect from such a film...the only difference being is that this is the first 'great' crocodile film. Greg McLean knows how to please his audience and it shines in every frame he creates. With Wolf Creek, he really showed a talent for brutal, compelling storytelling but just lacked the character momentum and the core to actually make us care what happened...Rogue spins that flaw around. He sets up the simple first act, giving us a group of average people but manages to grip us with simple character ideas and gives us a little care as to what might happen to them in the final 75 minutes. He uses the beautiful locations to his advantage. Not only does he create some nicely setup sweeping shots of the outback and its unknown waters, but he creates characters in the wildlife and connects them with the humans, all with some simple shots, its quite satisfying to see. And for all of you who just care about what the crocodile does and if it is worth it, I can tell you it is. Along with some taut direction and brilliant tension and atmosphere, when the creature is finally put into full view, it is an impressive entrance and does not disappoint for those of you looking for the thrills...and not to mention that the CGI is astonishing for such a low budget. A critic has said it already but I am saying it now...Jaws has done it with sharks, now Rogue has finally done it with crocodiles. The definitive crocodile flick that not only manages to give you impressive thrills and chills, but also uses everything within the frame to its advantage. Highly recommended.

• Matthew Y

  
  I've said it time and time again, it is not hard to make a decent low-budget horror movie. All you need to do is successfully create atmosphere and the rest will fall into place. Rogue does however luck out in a lot of ways, as it has a director who clearly knows what he's… More
  I've said it time and time again, it is not hard to make a decent low-budget horror movie. All you need to do is successfully create atmosphere and the rest will fall into place. Rogue does however luck out in a lot of ways, as it has a director who clearly knows what he's doing, decent actors, a few of which have gone on to much bigger and better things, and some rather decent F/X work for what it is. Rogue masterfully creates a tense mood and we're constantly on the edge of our seat wondering where and when the croc will show-up next. The final sequence when the main character is in the creatures lair is a fantastic scene that shows when less can often equal more. There's no noise except for the mild sounds of the cave as he tries to escape from the sleeping monster and not disturb it. Impressive stuff. See! It's not that f$#%ing hard! I'm talking to you 95% of horror directors out there.

• Ryan M

  
  5.7/10 After reading a lot of generally positive reviews stating that "Rogue" was the "best giant crocodile movie ever", I just had to see the thing. For one, I saw it in hopes of it being better than director Greg McLean's first feature, "Wolf… More
  5.7/10 After reading a lot of generally positive reviews stating that "Rogue" was the "best giant crocodile movie ever", I just had to see the thing. For one, I saw it in hopes of it being better than director Greg McLean's first feature, "Wolf Creek". I also saw it because I'm a sucker for potentially intense movies starring convincing giant crocs. I was not disappointed. "Rogue" is probably the best giant crocodile movie since whatever movie started the whole line of generally uncommon creature features. I don't know why it's as easy as it is to take a giant crocodile and do literally nothing with him or the plot; but the directors of previous giant-croc flicks such as "Primeval" and "Crocodile" seem to know. "Rogue" is not a good film per se, but it delivers a surprisingly good amount of thrills for most of its running time. This means that it stays plenty entertaining, but that also means that it has the potential to be boring as well. And believe me; "Rogue" has no intent on staying consistently entertaining. The biggest flaw, among others, is the fact that "Rogue" too often feels like it's taking a bathroom break in-between each sticky situation. The premise itself shouldn't let a whole lot happen, but then again, a whole lot more goes down than one would expect. I don't want to call a movie such as "Rogue" the king of killer croc movies, but judging by the other crap that's been released recently, I'm going to have to go along and say just that. It's not that bad of a film, and the thing is pretty pleasing for a lot of the time. The crocodile is convincing, and the cinematography is pretty. The scenery is beautiful, and the acting is decent enough. However, another big flaw with the film is its distinct lack of substance. This film doesn't have too good of a story, and therefore, it doesn't have too good of characters. Most of our heroes and heroines are pretty stale; and the equally as bland plot doesn't keep them afloat. The most interesting character turns out to be- you guessed it- the giant croc himself. But even the beast lacks characterization. What a pity. Like McLean's "Wolf Creek", this film is about outback terror in Australia. I admire the set-up, and this time the killer is a giant crocodile. Now, I'd love to see someone make a truly genuine crocodile film, and "Rogue" could have been the movie to do it. As it is, it's a well-directed film, for the most part at least. So we have a group of tourists who go for a cool boat ride in crocodile-infested waters. They're having good fun until a particularly huge croc attacks the boat, which eventually sinks. They're stranded on a nearby island, with nowhere to go since they all know that the crocodile is swimming beneath the dark waters. But they're willing to take risks; because that's what it's going to take in order for them all to make it out alive. I know I'm spoiling a little of the movie when I say this, but when regarding how many people make it out alive, I'm just going to say this: a few people die. But that's what you'd expect from this kind of movie anyway. The plot itself is ridiculously boring, and so are the characters that inhabit it. Some of them seem to have at least SOMETHING going on, but no such thing is ever explored further than a one-shot wonder. In the end of the day, I guess I do admire "Rogue". It does not put a spin on the giant-crocodile sub-genre of films, but it is an entertaining entry none the less. And considering Tobe Hooper was even involved with this area once, it's good to see that someone else has stepped in and filled the shoes of whatever masters may have started it. I suppose you cannot make a great giant-crocodile/alligator movie without ripping off "Jaws" completely. But I do believe that you can make an entertaining movie out of a giant croc eating people. "Rogue" gives me hope; if only some. Who am I to call the acting here "bad"? In fact, none of it really is. I wouldn't call any of the work by our actors and actresses particularly good or inspiring; but I would not for one second call any of it unworthy of at least some praise. Michael Vartan plays our hero, who is as generic and characterless as heroes can get. Some people don't go to these movies to get characters, but unless it's meant to be stupid and campy, then you've got to at least have a convincing hero. The heroine (AKA, possible love interest of the hero) is played by the somewhat talented Radha Mitchell; who has done decently in the past and does decently here as well. None of the acting is memorable, special, or unbearable. But you know you have somewhat of a problem when the leads aren't interesting enough, thus leaving the audience to find some decent solace in the people who work on the side. I didn't mind the supporting cast; but even their characters needed more time to develop. "Rogue" feels stupid. It probably IS stupid; but it's still quite fun in spite of this. I appreciate this flick, but do not particularly "like it". It's an enjoyable little movie, complete with the kind of gore and muscle-power that you'd expect from a film like this. It has thrills, spills, but no honest chills. In short, it's not a scary film, but it's still an exciting one. I guess there are some who will really enjoy it, and then there will be those like me who just admire it for being better than what is out there. It's a competent film; helmed by a competent director who definitely has style. The scenery is pretty fun to look at, as it was in "Wolf Creek". The scenery was mildly different in that film; but the NEW location is just as breathtaking. And the cinematography sure helps. If there's anything I honestly can say I liked about that mess of a directorial debut known as "Wolf Creek", it was the look. That film was beautifully shot, but gratuitously violent. "Rogue" is about as violent as it needs to be, and it's still pretty fun to look at. Oh, joy. And it's also accompanied by a pretty good atmosphere, a pretty good (be it repetitive) score, and an at least somewhat convincing sense of dread. Sadly, nothing can stop the kill scenes from being pathetic. They're not poorly staged; they're just uninspired, unoriginal, and repetitive. But how else could such bloody madness be dished out? I mean, honestly; think about that. But then again, people have put a spin on movies like this. I'm waiting for someone to do great justice to giant-crocodile films. It will happen someday. But "Rogue" ain't all that bad. I've complained a lot about "Rogue", and that's because it's a very imperfect film. If I have one more bitchy complaint, it's that the final showdown between man-and-monster, which is hilariously hyped on the back of the film's DVD case, is just plain stupid and disappointing; not to mention pathetic. But hey; the movie is plenty entertaining and is sure to please those who have had enough of shit like "Primeval". I know that I have. And maybe that is why I accept "Rogue" for the film that it is, as well as the film that it wants to be. The crocodile doesn't look half bad, and neither does the whole film. It's made with some skill, but it's never truly crafty. I enjoyed it. But that's about it. I'll probably forget about the thing none the less. But then again consider that all giant-crocodile movies are pretty much forgettable. I just can't get into them. And I couldn't get into McLean's previous feature, "Wolf Creek", either. So it's a wonder how the mixture could accumulate something that isn't actually all that bad. I don't recommend "Rogue". But it's worth watching if you have a rainy day on your hands, or if you're just looking to kill some time. It's corny as hell, but it's a good time waster. We do not get enough of those. "Rogue" means that something good could happen soon to giant-crocodile movies. I sure hope that something does happen; because I'm getting bored to. And "Rogue", as entertaining and decent as it is; just ain't good enough to convince me that the sub-genre of giant-croc movies can be genuinely good. But it's a decent step towards good territory anyways.

• Steven V

  
  <i>"Northern territory is home to the biggest population of salt water crocodiles in the world, spread throughout seven large tunnel systems. State covers the land mass double the size of Texas, but we have a population of only 200,000 people. As you can imagine, we all… More
  <i>"Northern territory is home to the biggest population of salt water crocodiles in the world, spread throughout seven large tunnel systems. State covers the land mass double the size of Texas, but we have a population of only 200,000 people. As you can imagine, we all have pretty big backyards."</i> - <i>Kate Ryan</i><br> <br> Granted, it's not perfect, and the idea is not 100% original (from a cinematic point of view) but one thing about <i>Greg McLean</i>'s movies is that he takes what are essentially Australian icons and flips them totally askew. For instance in <b>Wolf Creek</b> the movies brutal killer - <i>Mick Taylor</i> is basically <i>Mick Dundee</i> turned psycho. And in <b>Rogue</b>, he yet again takes a well known Australian reptile and sets it loose on some unsuspecting tourists. There's no denying <i>Greg McLean</i> can shoot a beautiful movie, and some of the wonderful scenes of the Australian top-end are simply stunning. The characters all portray strong performances, especially when the pressure sets in and they begin to crack. <i>Greg McLean</i> also does a good job at drip feeding the dread and teasing the audience with nothing but growls, grunts and slippery tails. It's an age old formula where directors don't show the full extent of the threat till the end. The crocodile itself is naturally CGI with some animatronics, and it's a relief to see that it looks "real". The movement and animation is authentic and the sound design is also effective in giving the audience that jolted feeling a 3 tonne crocodile would give. It's a tense, taught and well directed movie and the only gripe I have about it is that it seems a little short. It also lacked the brutal punch <b>Wolf Creek</b> gave us back in 2005, but never the less, it's a cute little Australian horror thriller where <i>Greg McLean</i> pays sound homage to classics like <b>Jaws</b> and <b>Aliens</b>. And it's also good to see more genre movies like this coming out of Australia, and it's also good to know people like the <u>Weinsteins</u> and <u>Warner Brothers</u> are backing horror movies from Australia for international releases and distribution.

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