Review by Peter Syslo
ROGUE (2007 Australia ) is a creature flick from Greg McLean, the man behind WOLF CREEK . This time, he focuses on the tale of a giant Crocodile, in an Australian river, which becomes extremely territorial and puts a group of stranded people through complete and utter hell. I haven't really seen a decent creature flick in awhile (UNEARTHED wasn't bad, though) and I was very happy with ROGUE; I expected the film to be good, going into it, because WOLF CREEK was a decent film. WOLF CREEK didn't completely “sweep me off of my feet”, but I did like McLean 's approach to the slasher genre and he did inject some out-of-the-ordinary stylistic elements into it (if I remember correctly, he has a background in painting/art). So, I will begin by saying that ROGUE is one of the better Reptilian-based monster movies (1980's ALLIGATOR being the best, in my opinion).
ROGUE is written, produced, and directed by Greg McLean. The film stars Michael Vartan, Radha Mitchell, and Sam Worthington.
The premise of the film is based upon the concept of how a crocodile hunts, feeds, and defends its turf. A group of people go on a boating tour of an Australian river, which is like a “crocodile watch” kind of thing. After traveling in a canyon area, the people lose radio contact and they find that they are not alone in the water. A crocodile rams the boat and they make an emergency landing on the shore of a nearby island. Now, here is the whole “Oh shit!” moment: the river is a tidal river, meaning that the water will rise and eventually envelope the whole island. Thus, it becomes a race against the clock as nightfall approaches; the giant crocodile “patrols” the island, waiting for anyone to get close to the shoreline, and outsmarting it proves to be a very difficult task.
ROGUE was an enjoyable and interesting movie. I am not a crocodile buff, so I don't know how factually-based it is, but it seemed fairly logical to me. That's not to say that the whole film is totally believable; towards the end, it started to get a little “thin”. The climax is a little far-fetched and predictable, but then again, a Great White shark launching out of the water and landing on the stern of a boat is a little far-fetched too. Speaking of which, the movie was a lot like the ending of JAWS 2 – which is not a bad thing (I like JAWS 2). It is very similar to the young boaters being stuck at Cable Junction, with the shark swimming around. That's what I mean about being a little predictable – it has a similar format to other creature flicks but, amazingly, that doesn't hurt the film. I kind of like that it was predictable an d it amounts to the spinning of a good old yarn – I'm the kind of guy who likes a tall-tale every now and then.
Moving on to the cast, I thought that Mitchell, as the tour leader, was decent as one of the leads - but at the same time, it could've been anyone in that role (it was very generic). Vartan was actually good as the hero; there was always something about him that I didn't like, but I thought that he did a really good job with this role (a reporter for a travel magazine) and I was impressed with his conviction. The supporting cast was also good, even though they were filling stereotypical creature-flick roles: you have the “hey dude” slacker guy; there's a cancer survivor mom with her frightened daughter and impetuous, idiot husband; there are a few know-it-alls; a perceptive dog who (unfortunately) you know will be croc-meat at some point; and then there are the male and female heroes who reluctantly bear the “savior” burden. Despite that explanation, it is still enjoyable to watch the film play out, according to the blueprints. I think that McLean was going for that exact feel – he wanted to make a monster movie in a traditional, familiar style – and he succeeded.
Commenting on a few other things, the film is absolutely beautiful to watch. You see McLean ’s artistic background come through because the shots of the river are gorgeous – they are almost hyper-realistic, they are so vibrant. Throughout the film, he also created a warm and comfortable atmosphere; even thought there is the claustrophobia of the shrinking island, it still feels comfortable and you hope for the best outcome. That's another good point: there is some blood, gore (but not like the DVD cover would make you think) and croc-spinning carnage, but the movie is not a vicious assault on the viewer. It is, strangely, a heart-warming story of man vs. beast which is easy to watch and digest. It builds good tension and suspense through the “less is more” approach to showing the croc and you feel tha t the odds are evenly stacked – the people have a sporting chance and it makes the film better (as opposed to HATCHET, where the people had no chance at all – that movie was just ridiculous).
Cutting to the chase: ROGUE is a common and somewhat predictable story, but it is done very well. You do have a few instances of disbelief or “thinness” but they just make for more of a bombastic and fulfilling ending – they don't detract from it. Quite simply, it is a movie about a monster crocodile where the people have to put their intelligence and survival skills to the test, in order to prevail. I really liked it and I think that I will be watching it again. Take note, it does take about 20-25 minutes to get rolling (no croc pun intended) but once it picks up speed, it is engaging and suspenseful. If you like creature flicks with an intelligent spin on them or classic monster movies like JAWS, ALLIGATOR, or THE THING, then ROGUE is definitely worth watching. Pop in the DVD and enjoy the “big fish” story. I give ROGUE an 8/10.