Rogue (Rogue Crocodile) (2008)
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100% of critics liked it
(11 reviews) -
53% of users liked it
(6,276 ratings)
A handful of tourists looking for adventure get more than they bargained for when they cross paths with a massive man-eating beast in this thriller. Pete McKell (Michael Vartan) is a writer for an American travel magazine who has been assigned to write a story about vacationing in rugged Northern… More A handful of tourists looking for adventure get more than they bargained for when they cross paths with a massive man-eating beast in this thriller. Pete McKell (Michael Vartan) is a writer for an American travel magazine who has been assigned to write a story about vacationing in rugged Northern Australia. Pete signs up for a cruise along a river that's home to a large crocodile population, with tough but pretty Kate Ryan (Radha Mitchell) serving as guide. Pete soon finds he's roughing it in the Aussie wilds with an eclectic variety of travelers, including Russell (John Jarratt), who is dealing with the death of his wife; Simon (Stephen Curry), a tactless amateur photographer; and Allen (Geoff Morrell), a member of the British upper crust making the trip with his ailing spouse (Heather Mitchell) and their rambunctious daughter (Mia Wasikowska). While Kate's former husband, who also works on the river, makes a pest of himself in the early stages of the voyage, the travelers soon find they have more to worry about when their craft is attacked by a massive 25-foot crocodile, who is just clever enough to know how to trap its prey before enjoying them for dinner. Rogue was written and directed by Greg McLean, who made a splash among horror fans in 2005 with his debut film, Wolf Creek. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- R, 1 hr. 32 min.
- Directed By
- Greg McLean
- Written By
- Greg McLean
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Horror
- In Theaters
- Apr 25, 2008 Wide
- On DVD
- Aug 5, 2008
- Studio
- Third Rail Releasing
Critic Reviews
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Richard Kuipers, Variety
A competent horror filmed in eye-catching Aussie outback locations.
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Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
An intense and entertaining killer croc movie with sharp special effects, and strong performances from a very respectable cast...
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Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
a slick, serviceable nature's revenge flick...[but] one can almost feel the clashing instincts of McLean and his Hollywood executive producers the Weinsteins, with the hokey spirit of Crocodile Dundee winning out in the end.
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Brian Juergens, CampBlood.org
Rock out with your croc out: A lean, mean and wonderfully fun little fright flick in the tradition of Jaws 2, Orca and Deep Blue Sea.
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Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
This is by no means original or groundbreaking. But, it's made with a sure hand, filled with tension throughout.
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Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Taut, thoughtful and inventive.
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Steve Biodrowski, ESplatter
If you want to enjoy being scared [...] then this rampaging reptile is for you.
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Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton, Dread Central
Rogue is the best damned killer crocodile movie to be made in more than a decade
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Scott Weinberg, FEARnet
The best flick of its kind since Lewis Teague's drive-in classic Alligator. And that was 1980.
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James O'Ehley, Sci-Fi Movie Page
A not-bad horror movie by the director of Wolf Creek . . .
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Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
A film predicated on ideas of suspense and pace rather than blasting violence and idiocy, Rogue is a satisfying, skilled entry in the water-based terror genre.
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Christian Toto, What Would Toto Watch?
Rogue is the best killer crocodile movie - ever.
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Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
From its evocative, economical title to its bright and breezy end credits pop song (Never Smile at a Crocodile) Rogue delivers everything you could want from a high class creature feature/adventure thriller. It's a ripper
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
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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 an fantastic scene that shows when less can often equal more. There's no sound 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 the fucking hard! I'm talking to you 95% of horror directors out there. -
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. -
Sam E
Rogue was a pretty good movie. The crocodile was extremely life-like which made the movie that much more enticing. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough gore (and I rented the unrated version!) so that was sort of a let down. The movie could have easily cut down on some of the… More
Rogue was a pretty good movie. The crocodile was extremely life-like which made the movie that much more enticing. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough gore (and I rented the unrated version!) so that was sort of a let down. The movie could have easily cut down on some of the unnecessary cursing and have been R or even PG-13... -
Daniel P
Exciting, reasonably unpredictable creature feature with very good croc effects and a surprisng amount of care given to characterisation. The low budget can be seen in the copious use of green screen, which sits rather uncomfortably beside beautiful aerial shots of the Australian… More
Exciting, reasonably unpredictable creature feature with very good croc effects and a surprisng amount of care given to characterisation. The low budget can be seen in the copious use of green screen, which sits rather uncomfortably beside beautiful aerial shots of the Australian Outback that look like they've been taking off a Discovery documentary. Radha Mitchell (in her own accent - hooray!) and Michael Vartan are better than needed, and if nothing else the film is proof that Greg McLean is not a one trick pony. -
Ed Fucking H
Pretty surprised by the quality of this entry into the Australian 'Animals killing people' genre. A group of touritsts find themselves being hunted and savagely torn apart by an oversized crocodile. Theres nothing on display here that you havent seen before, and no movie… More
Pretty surprised by the quality of this entry into the Australian 'Animals killing people' genre. A group of touritsts find themselves being hunted and savagely torn apart by an oversized crocodile. Theres nothing on display here that you havent seen before, and no movie like this is ever going to top Jaws, but like the slasher genre, these kinds of movies succeed or fail based on the filmmakers ability to follow a formula. This movie does that well and kept me entertained and excited throughout its run time. The film does have some pretty good characters as well. some you want to see die, and others you want to see live, so you shouldn't be indifferent as to what is happening on screen. The crocodile is CGI which usually results in a loss of points from me, but in this case the CGI was done well enough that the crocodile is believable and not too cartooney, which is usually my complaint with CGI effects, so its gets a pass on that front. Definently worth a watch for those who enjoy this kind of thing. One of the better entries in the genre I've seen in quite some time.
Cast
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Radha Mitchellas Kate Ryan -
Michael Vartanas Pete McKell -
John Jarrattas Russell
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Heather Mitchellas Elizabeth -
Sam Worthingtonas Neil -
Stephen Curryas Simon
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Geoff Morrellas Allen -
Mia Wasikowskaas Sherry -
Robert Tayloras Everett
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Caroline Brazieras Mary Ellen -
Celia Irelandas Gwen O'Dyer -
Damien Richardsonas Collin

