Director: Greg McLean
Written by: Greg McLean
Cast: Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, Sam Worthington

Year / Country: 2007, Australia / USA
Running Time: 99 mins.

Hot and sultry climates tend to produce gigantic monsters. Northern Territory in Australia certainly fits this description. Yet, Ozzywood Horror flicks seldom make it to the mainland. Rogue did. Perhaps due to the involvement of executive producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein? It can’t be the original concept. Then again, movies about oversized creatures with a taste for human flesh will always find a market.

Truth be told: I got a thing with crocodiles. The fact that this species’ origins go way back to prehistoric times fascinates me. I have often wondered what it must be like to be snatched by this massive reptile predator. Because of this fascination, movies about killer crocs can easily do right for me.

Rogue does – be it in a little formulaic fashion – do what it is supposed to do. A group of tourists takes a cruise down a river in a modestly sized boat. Nothing too big happens in the first half hour, but it is nevertheless not boring. That is because we get treated with beautiful nature images, pretty music and some crocodile wisdom: the typical ingredients of a wicked creature flick.

The characters also get properly introduced. One of the cruisers is an American travel journalist who brags a bit too much about his work to the tour guide. Another is obviously a widower as we watch him empty an urn in the river and cry a little bit. These subtle gestures work well in acquainting the audience with these characters, so when shit hits the fan, they will actually care when somebody gets torn to shreds.

The group gets into trouble when their boat breaks down and they have to take shelter on a small island before help will arrive. The problem is the flood. Due to the rising water level, the entire island is about to disappear. In the water, a massive seven foot crocodile awaits them. So far, so good. The action that follows is not spectacular per se, but – much like the build-up – works well enough. Tourists get gruesomely killed and the American hero eventually takes on the killer croc in its own lair.

Rogue may not be an award winning film. Nor is it the best in its kind. However it still offers an enjoyable little piece of escapism. Exactly what its target audience is undoubtedly looking for.

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Biography: Greg McLean attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, where he graduated in directing. He started his career with theatre productions, including the highly acclaimed Hamlet by theatre director Neil Armfield. He then started his movie career with various shorts, television commercials and corporate videos. In 2005 he made his first feature film: Wolf Creek, and followed it with Rogue in 2007.

Filmography: ICQ (2001, short), Wolf Creek (2005), Rogue (2007)