“Snowtown” (Written by Justin Kurzel and Directed by Shaun
Grant) is a grimy feature. I knew what I was getting myself into before I played
the DVD but even I was blown away by this film. Maybe it’s because of the fact
it actually happened or it’s a testament to how great the acting from everyone
across the board was. Within the film’s first minutes it lets you know this isn’t
some romanticized big budget Popcorn movie. Despite all this there are still
some beautiful and somber shots of South Australia. Although I had to turn up the
volume because of some quiet dialogue I had no issues with
understanding what the characters were saying because of their accents.
The film isn’t only disturbing solely because John is a
serial killer. But he decided who was unfit and unjust to live. Anyone who
crossed his path and rubbed him the wrong way was fodder (as well as financial gain)
for him and his gang of blind followers. Many of his victims were mentally
disabled which is an aspect that greatly upset me. Suspected homosexuals and
sex offenders were at the top of the list. Never mind if there was any truth
behind those accusations.
To full understand the film I recommend reading up on the
full case. Otherwise a casual viewer may be confused as to what’s going on.
Since many of the characters are combined with bits and pieces of real life
victims and most aren’t named outright in the film. But please be forewarned
the real case is very tough and upsetting to read.
The acting especially by Lucas Pittaway and Daniel Henshall
is first rate. The film doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares or buckets of Blood
to get its message across. What scenes there are that contain disturbing images
are not cheap or tawdry. The film does not glamorize sex and violence. It comes
through a detached filter of brutal honesty. A stroke of genius was in casting
locals as Jamie’s neighbors instead of big name stars as you could practically
fill in the blanks with their own little back stories. The musical score by Jed
Kurzel is used in small doses and oozes with atmosphere.
Perhaps the most disturbing and emotional scenes for me was
not just the implied murders and the
aftermaths but the phone calls John forced his victims to make to loved ones pretending
to run away so they wouldn’t be looked for. “They are nothing They don’t matter…
No one will miss them” John reassures Jamie. Slowly but surely Jamie is not only an
accomplice to disposing of evidence but trawling for unfortunate victims for
John himself. Was it because Jamie was frightened of John? or was it because he
grew up in an environment ripe with child molestation, drug addiction, and
abuse. The film offers no answers.
At the end of it I had to take a breath and take it all in.
the film was so well put together and acted I felt like I was practically
there. You can almost feel the dirt and grease as Jamie’s family gathers around
the table for Dinner. Or smell the Cigarettes as John whips up the neighbors
into a frenzy while making up a list of people who deserve to be taken care of.
While the movie is highly disturbing and harrowing I believe it is a
masterpiece in its own right. Watch at your own risk.
