Australia has been kind to horror fans in the decade since Greg McLean’s Wolf Creek was released and I’m pleased to report that Charlie’s Farm sits nicely alongside other recent Aussie horror offerings such as The Loved Ones and The Babadook in terms of quality.
In an effort to show his girlfriend Natasha (Tara Reid) and her friend Melanie a good time, Jason and his mate Mick pack up their car and set off in search of the legendary Charlie’s Farm. It is said that Charlie’s family were sadistic and met a grisly end at the hands of a local mob out for vengeance. Unfortunately for the group, Charlie survived and he hates trespassers.
Writer/Director Chris Sun has crafted a fun love letter to 80s horror here and his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. Firstly, he has assembled a great cast featuring horror legends Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder and secured Nathan Jones as his villain, Charlie. I haven’t seen a monster with potential staying power since Victor Crowley’s debut in Hatchet and he went on to star in 3 movies.
Sun directs with an assured hand. He has obviously seen more than enough horror movies to know what gore hounds want and boy does he deliver!
The Australian landscape also really adds to the look of the film. There are some nice shots reminiscent of Texas Chain Saw.
Charlie’s Farm is a great way to spend 90 minutes and I for one would like to see a sequel. I’m now excited for Sun’s next film Boar, which many are reporting is a remake of Russell Mulcahay’s classic 80s horror Razorback.
OVERALL SUMMARY
This movie has balls and guts! If you still have your doubts, check out the cover art for the German mediabook release and you’ll see how brazen the filmmakers are! Props to them, when you follow in the footsteps of classic villains like Freddy and Jason you either have to go hard or go home.
