Dying Breed (Review + Background Buzz + Critical Clips)

Hollywood seems to be running out of ideas for original horror movies these days. Whether they're remakes, sequels, or prequels, most mass-produced horror films recently seem to point to an anemic state of creativity. One resource that seems to be ill tapped is history. The Mothman, the Jersey Devil, Sasquatch...just dig a little through the history books and you'll uncover a plethora of urban legends and local mythologies that are ripe for adaptation by the right creative minds. Enter Dying Breed. Directed by Australian Jody Dwyer and co-written by Dwyer, Michael Boughen, and Rod Morris, Dying Breed bases its story on real-life historical convict Alexander Pearce, who was hanged in Australia for cannibalism in 1824. Though the film takes place in contemporary times it asks how, if he had any, would Pearce's descendents live today and what would they have to do to survive? As foreign filmmakers often do with the horror genre, Dwyer impresses with his execution, delivering a quality film that pulls off its formula to a T while still leaving room for some unconventional twists.

Oblivious to the infamous history of Alexander Pearce, it's another local legend that brings Dying Breed's protagonists to Tasmania - the Tasmanian tiger. Supposedly hunted to extinction, unconfirmed sightings of the tiger have persisted. Driven by a paw print her sister photographed before her untimely death, Nina (Mirrah Foulkes) is driven to confirm the tiger's existence and hopefully, uncover some truth about the mystery surrounding her sister. Her boyfriend, Matt (Leigh Whannell), enlists the help of his hot-blooded friend, Jack (Nathan Phillips), and his girlfriend, Rebecca (Melanie Vallejo) and together the foursome head into the Tasmanian backwoods. The town in which they stay the first night seems oddly proud of its penal roots and shows a great honoring of "The Pieman." Soon enough they're roughing it in the wilderness where tension arises between Jack's devil-may-care attitude and Nina's work ethic. In the middle of the night, a supposed glimpse of the tiger scatters the group throughout the woods for photographic proof; a move from which Rebecca doesn't return. Is it the tiger stalking through the woods or something else?

Though the synopsis may not seem groundbreaking, the story elements are well crafted and the direction is skillfully handled. There are a few too many "you wait here and I'll go out by myself into the abyss" moments but the tension in scenes climax at all the right times and there is a very eerie fish-out-of-water environment in which to be absorbed. For the bloodthirsty gore fans, there's plenty to keep you occupied with teeth pryed from mouths, flesh bitten off limbs, and body parts caught in bear traps. Once the sh*t begins hitting the fan, you'll be too far on the edge of your seat to be concerned with the one CGI gore misstep.

But a filmmaker can rain down severed limbs and organs all he or she wants and the audience won't care unless they care about the characters. The four in Dying Breed, while archetypes, are far from caricatures. Solid performances by everyone, especially horror veterans Whannell and Phillips, convey a well roundedness that will keep the audience emotionally engaged. Those who think they can predict the fate of the protagonists will be surprised by the ending in which Dwyer secures a logically bleak conclusion that avoids hopelessness just for the sake of hopelessness.

Whether intended or not, the film will be undoubtedly be compared to another Austrailian horror film, Wolf Creek; unfortunate, seeing as Dying Breed feels more like the classic The Hills Have Eyes and the trend-setting Hostel than it does from the 2005 snooze fest. Solid in almost every arena, Dying Breed was a pleasant surprise from this year's Tribeca Film Festival and would be a respectable inclusion if picked up for mainstream distribution.

Critical Clips
Zoom in Online's Critical Clips are the gut reactions of everyday movie goers recorded at the film's premiere. So, let's hear from you!

Background Buzz
A round up of related content from across the web including fan blogs, podcasts, analysis, news, magazines, and more. Updated often, so check back!

-Read Variety's less glowing review

-Text interview with writer/producer Michael Boughen from Bloody-Disgusting

-Official film website

-Read Cinematical's more positive review

-More information about Alexander Pearce from The Age