Review of Red Hill (2010) by Yew L — 22 Jul 2010

When The Proposition was released a few years back it wowed us all and made everyone realise just how perfect a setting Australia is for a Western. Now it's all these years later and no-one seems to have done anything to capitalise on this revelation, that is until Red Hill. Taking place in the stunning locales of the Victorian high country this film chronicles the rigorous first day of Constable Cooper (the Benjamin Button-esque Ryan Kwanten, seriously does this guy not age?) as he attempts to navigate and defend his new beat after the escape of a vicious criminal from a nearby jail. The film is at heart a Western; the people travel on horseback, wear duster coats and ten gallon hats and have constant shoot-outs on the Main street, but it's smartly more than that.

These days the Western tropes have become quite tired and even the concept of Revisionism has been efficiently milled out and so simply presenting the same old story in a new setting wouldn't be enough. I can't really remember the quote director Hughes gave as an introduction to the film but to summarise; the film is three parts Western mixed with one part horror, one part drama, a splash of romance and seventy five litres of fake blood. So while the locale is distinctly western , and distinctly Australian - Red hill is a run-down ex logging town looking for a way to survive that doesn't involve pimping themselves out to the pretentious city folk tourists.- , the execution is actually something entirely new.

The best way to describe it would be as an anti-Eastwood Western, a reverse Pale Rider. At its core the plot is the same, a mysterious stranger rides into town and disposes of the locals using his god like gun slinging abilities, but we are told the story from the perspective of one of those victims and through his eyes the situation becomes a lot more horrific. The cowboy becomes a serial killer, he becomes the villain in a slasher, lurking effortlessly and dispatching the town's mere mortals with cold precision. It is through this subtle swap that the film manages to completely revitalise its concept. This is then combined with some absolutely stunning visuals - constantly reminiscent of some of the genres best yet somehow not completely derivative to them - a powerful score, matching soundscape and just enough heart and mind to validate the films existence at a fest without ever getting in the way of its pulpy thrills.

There are some flaws in the plotting - as is to be expected from a first time director like Hughes ? : such as Kwanten's protagonist Cooper feeling like an almost tangential character ? he spends most of his time wandering through the beautiful bush whilst Jimmy is reigning havoc on the town, his wife being almost non-existent instead of a central element and the locals more or less all merging together ? with the exception of the magnificent Steve Bisley who stopped in to view the film with us, he really jumps wholeheartedly into his character which excuses the fact that he is written as a caricature. These character flaws are inherent in almost all thrillers though and not just this one; the focus is instead on creating the set pieces, all of which are inventive and cleverly shot which is much more important.

It is to my mind a great step for the Aussie industry and yet another sign that we are slowly heading in the right direction (after The Square, I Love You Too and Animal Kingdom). Hughes described his main influences as The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith and High Plains Drifter and as far as I can see he has managed to combine the best of both making a film that is not only socially conscious but fun at the same time.