(AFC/AI)

The other local film about crocodiles. No, Paul Hogan isn’t in it

It’s truly amazing that, in a world that can be seemingly limitless in creativity and story ideas, two films are released within months of each other that contain the same basic plot points but end up garnering opposing critical reviews. We’ve had two computer-generated movies about ants, two bombastic doomsday movies about asteroids, Truman Capote, magicians and very soon there will be two about Chess Records. And those aren’t even the strangest examples, because Black Water and Rogue would have to take that prize. Not only are they about being stranded in some remote area being circled by a giant ravenous crocodile, but both were made by Australians. Rogue was, of course, Greg Mclean’s much-hyped follow up to Wolf Creek, while Black Water is the much more modestly budgeted debut by David Nerlich and Andrew Traucki. If memory serves, Rogue Creek got slammed for being too showy on its cinematic release, but I can’t be sure if the approval of Black Water was due to its superior quality or our nations fabled tall poppy syndrome. Irrespective, for such a simple plot (three travellers are stranded in Northern Territory mangroves after their tour guide is killed by a crocodile), the film does a satisfactory job of maintaining suspense, to the point where the climax isn’t completely predictable. The dialogue (performed by the cream of Australia’s soapie and medical drama crop) can be a tad overblown at times, but Black Water makes the argument about which movie was better much harder than Antz and A Bug’s Life.

***

MITCH ALEXANDER

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