R4 DVD
Madman Entertainment
Acolytes
is a very unconventional Australian horror film. If you are expecting a traditional
horror or slasher then you are looking in the wrong place. But if you are
interested in a dark, suspenseful film which explores the sexual underbelly of
suburban culture then you will be challenged and very surprised. Director Jon
Hewitt has created a very moody and atmospheric film, filled with terror and dread.
The
cinematography is impressive, from the bland soulless look of the suburbs to
the violent and threatening mood of the forest. The look of the film cannot be
faulted from the wide lens exploration of desolate suburban landscapes to the
dark hues of the forest which makes you feel there is terror around every
corner. Various forms of rock music are also used to emphasize the alienation
of the teens at the centre of the story. Some things are also obvious due to
their omission; the film focuses on the three teens and the killers. You never
actually see other people such as parents or policemen, other kids at school
are nameless and characterless. It is as though the whole world is inhabited by
the three teens, their abuser, the killer, his family and his victims. It is a
very small, violent and disturbed world.
James
and Mark are two teenagers with a shared past, when they were young they were
both raped by local thug Gary Parker (Parko), who has just been released on
parole. They both seem to have issues about their sexuality and lack self confidence.
They spend their time with Chasely (James girlfriend) smoking pot, listening to
music and generally doing very little else except occasionally smashing things
to relieve pent up anger and tension. The relationship between the three is
complex with Mark obviously jealous of James relationship with Chasely as well
as there being an underpinning of homoeroticism. There are a number of scenes
which explore the complex relationship between the three of them in a sensitive
and revealing manner.
They
live in the shadow of events from the past and are constantly nervous about
Parko re-appearing in their lives. When they hear about the death of a young
girl they decide to investigate. Soon they find a body buried deep in the
forest and Mark describes the 4 x 4 he saw leaving the scene. While they first
suspect Parko, they soon realize he is not the killer and they hatch a plot.
The
tale now becomes superbly complex as they trace the killer to his home and
attempt to blackmail him to kill Parko to satisfy their need for revenge.
However, things are not quite as they seem and as the film comes to an end and
the threads of the plot are drawn together, it reveals the unexpected and shocking
truth.
Acolytes
is very different from the run of the mill type horror film. It reflects on the
destructive effect of disturbed sexuality from the sexual abuse of the boys to
Parko’s use of sex as power. (In one piece of harrowing dialogue he tells the
boys he raped them simply “because he could”).
The
serial killer played by Joel Edgerton is a violent and edgy killer whose sexual
delight in torture and violence is all too obvious to for all to see. Yet
due to the boys abuse they are willing to use him to exact revenge and this is
the moral quandary at the heart of the film. In Acolytes, nobody comes out
clean in the end.
This
bubbling volcano of sex and violence is all played out in the insipid and bland
emptiness of the Suburbs. Edgerton’s character has been somewhat influenced by
the NSW serial killer Ivan Milat right down to the house in the suburbs and his
obsession with hitchhikers but this simply adds to the authenticity of the
character.
There
have been some complaints that the film is too plot heavy and that this dilutes
its effectiveness as a horror film. I feel just the opposite. There are lots of
horror films on the market and too many of them are the same with little to
offer except some blood, guts and shocks. Acolytes offers something more. It
uses a complex plot to explore themes of sex, violence and abuse and creates a
highly intelligent and effective horror film along the way.
Jon
Hewitt has only used a couple of well known actors (such as Edgerton) and yet
with a very unique plot and some great cinematography has pulled off a very
effective and confronting work of cinema. Once again Aussie horror has shown
itself to be a very innovative genre !
This review will appear in Volume 2 No.3
(2009) of the digital and print edition of Synergy Magazine.
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