© FAKESHEMP.NET
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Podcasts
    • Podcasts
    • Good Movie Monday
    • WTF was that?
  • MEDIA
    • Videos >
      • Photos
  • GLG
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • About

BOAR

24/11/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Picture
2017 | DIR. CHRIS SUN | REVIEW BY GLENN COCHRANE.

There are certain expectations that come with a Chris Sun film. One of them is that you're guaranteed a showcase of gore-laden violence, and another is that there will be no shortage of outrageous ockerisms. His latest film BOAR is no exception and while the gore has been toned down – ever so slightly – it delivers on all accounts.

With a loving wink to Russell Malcahy's 1984 cult classic RAZORBACK, Sun has taken his inspiration and crafted an all new giant pig flick, which is neither a remake, re-imaging or reboot. It is, rather, an audacious new creature-feature, showcasing a smorgasbord of legendary Australian talent, offering a no-holds-barred exploitation of the genre.

Live stock have gone missing in a small country town and two drunken farmers come face-to-face with a gigantic wild boar. Having stumbled upon the mangled remains of a camping party, the two men – with plenty of booze and not enough ammo – must fend off the beast singlehandedly before it kills again. Meanwhile the Monroe family arrive in town to visit a relative and while spending an idyllic afternoon swimming in the river, they too become prey for the marauding creature's insatiable appetite.

It is a simple and somewhat contrived synopsis, and yet with Sun's reliable direction it adheres to the genre's conventions, manipulating the tropes to its advantage. Setting it apart from other creature-features is a smart script, which presents a kaleidoscope of nuances to create a uniquely Aussie flavour. With a cast of notable Australian actors including Simone Buchanan, John Jarratt, Roger Ward, Melissa Tkautz, Hugh Sheridan and Nathan Jones, as well as American horror legend Bill Moseley, Sun has aligned himself with the right people to pull off this quirky and truly ocker story.

Jarratt and Ward play the two drunken farmers whose onscreen chemistry is wonderful, and with their characters leading the first half of the story, they provide a hilarious (and surprisingly endearing) comical crux that prevents the film from taking itself too seriously. Their banter is wildly amusing and both performers share a natural rapport with one another. The second half of the story is lead by Buchanan and Moseley, who play parents to teenagers Christie-Lee Britten and Griffin Walsh, and their chemistry is also evident. Moseley offers a more subdued performance to what fans might expect and his gentle 'bird-watching' demeanour couldn't be any further removed from the Otis Firefly and 'Chop-Top' Sawyer that he's so famous for. Buchanan, on the other hand, is BOAR's emotional anchor and she delivers a level of depth and raw emotion that is rare within a movie of this nature. Her performance is so strong that it's almost too good for a typical genre-film, thankfully her place within the narrative is – indeed – the heart of the story.

The rest of the ensemble includes Hugh Sheridan as the daughter's boyfriend, Nathan Jones as the hulkish uncle and Melissa Tkautz as Jarratt's daughter; owner of the local pub. They all give unexpectedly strong performances, with Tkautz being the obvious stand-out. Stepping away from the glamour of her Real Housewives of Sydney persona, she roughs things up – dressed in jeans and flannies – and embraces her inner-bogan with open arms. She's wonderful on screen. Other familiar faces include Ernie Dingo, Steve Bisley and Chris Hayward. It is a gaggle of Aussie misfits who give the film an added credibility. Hayward's character serves as a cheeky nod to RAZORBACK, which he starred in, and will put a smile on anyone geeky enough to recognise the reference.

It would, however, be disingenuous to ignore some of the film's shortcomings, which include a handful of poorly crafted CGI effects and editing which is quite jarring at times. Sun uses an equal measure of practical and digital effects to create his monster, both of which to positive and negative effect. It is a sight to behold when the characters are face-to-face with the creature, and to see them interact with a live-action creation is certainly gratifying... and yet when the boar attacks and the camera is capturing a wide shot, the ineffectiveness of the practical effect shows. The same can be said for the digital boar, which appears all too animated in some sequences, yet entirely realistic in others. With that said, it is to his credit that Sun had the tenacity to create such a big and ferocious monster, and were those aforementioned elements better concealed, he would have delivered an powerhouse of a horror movie.

Nevertheless BOAR is a fun, atmospheric and highly entertaining creature-feature which proudly boasts endearing Aussie mannerisms while offering a brand of horror, which will appeal to audiences all over the world. It also serves as Chris Sun's most accomplished film to date.
​
Picture
2 Comments
Morris Ruskin link
29/11/2017 06:25:09 am

Great review! Note that the CGI effects are not done. You saw a work in progress. All the same this is the first review I've seen and I'm so pleased that you like the film.

Reply
Chezza gianni
21/7/2018 01:46:23 am

Worst movie I've ever seen , hate

Reply



Leave a Reply.


    OUR WRITERS
    GLENN COCHRANE
    JARRET GAHAN
    SHAUN CRAWFORD
    ALEX MAYNARD
    CHRIS THOMPSON​
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    September 2010
    April 2010

    RSS Feed

© 2018 FakeShemp.Net    All rights reserved.  FakeShemp.Net Illustrations by MJ Barros. 
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Podcasts
    • Podcasts
    • Good Movie Monday
    • WTF was that?
  • MEDIA
    • Videos >
      • Photos
  • GLG
  • Blog
  • Interviews
  • About