Tag Archives: Australian Horror

Faith, Fear, and Familiar Demons — Diabolic Tests the Limits of Australia’s “Elevated Horror

11 Tuesday Nov 2025

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Australian genre cinema has been pushing at the boundaries of horror for over a decade now—restless, ambitious, and eager to prove that its terrors can hold their own on the world stage. Daniel J. Phillips’ Diabolic certainly aspires to sit within that tradition. A visually confident piece that leans into the current wave of “elevated” folk horror, it promises grand spiritual torment and supernatural vengeance but settles, unfortunately, into familiar rhythms.

Elise (Elizabeth Cullen) seeks a miracle cure for her mysterious blackouts, joining a fundamentalist healing ritual that inevitably stirs something far darker. From there, Diabolic unfolds as a study in paranoia and possession, invoking the cursed lineage of witches, faith, and the female body as battleground. Phillips, who previously demonstrated a keen eye for atmosphere, drenches his frames in shadow and ritualistic imagery—a visual style that sometimes outpaces the screenplay’s thin sense of dread.

The problem lies in pacing and predictability. The film spends its first act buried beneath exposition, taking too long to let the horror breathe. By the time the vengeful spirit emerges in earnest, much of the mystery has already withered. Its narrative beats—visions, confessions, cursed objects, and escalating hysteria—feel telegraphed, echoing better works from The Witch to The Wailing.

Still, Diabolic finds some salvation in its performances. Elizabeth Cullen anchors the chaos with a quiet, unflinching intensity, grounding the supernatural in something believably human. Her descent feels lived-in, even as the story around her becomes increasingly schematic. John Kim and Mia Challis provide competent support, though their characters are largely ornamental to the central exorcism of guilt and power.

Where Diabolic succeeds is in its texture—the way the camera lingers on faces during moments of dread, the ritualistic hum of sound design, and the sense that Phillips genuinely wants to explore faith as both salvation and curse. Yet it struggles to escape the trappings of the genre it reveres. What could have been a new cornerstone of Australian occult cinema ends up merely competent: handsomely shot, occasionally haunting, but ultimately too cautious to transcend its own formulas.

The Prognosis:

By the time the final act’s firelight fades, one is left admiring the ambition rather than fearing the outcome. Diabolic isn’t unholy—it’s just undercooked.

  • Saul Muerte

Special Event Screenings

In Australian Cinemas From November 20
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Zombie Kangaroo Rippy Takes a Bite Out of Aussie Horror in The Red

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Australia has long mastered the art of transforming its wild, often dangerous natural environment into the stuff of horror legend. From Razorback‘s ferocious wild boar to Rogue’s man-eating crocodile and The Reef‘s relentless shark, Aussie horror films have found a niche in turning the country’s flora and fauna into nightmare fuel. Now, The Red tries its luck with a new terror—Rippy, the giant zombie kangaroo, who’s taking the outback’s reputation for dangerous wildlife to absurd new heights.

While The Red is steeped in gimmickry, Rippy’s story has just enough originality and humor to keep it from feeling stale. The film leans hard into its outrageous premise, following the havoc-wreaking, undead kangaroo as it terrorises the tiny town of Axehead. The premise alone is undoubtedly outlandish, and director Rhys Chapman is well aware of the absurdity; he amps up the comedic horror elements, encouraging audiences to revel in Rippy’s carnage. Yet, beneath the zany concept, there’s a steady effort to elevate the story with strong character performances—something that makes The Red stand out among other Aussie creature features.

At the heart of The Red are performances that bring depth to an otherwise campy storyline. Aaron Pedersen shines as the stoic but increasingly exasperated local, adding gravitas to scenes that might otherwise be overwhelmed by the film’s over-the-top antics. His ability to balance seriousness with humour gives the movie its grounding force, making even the most ludicrous moments feel slightly more plausible. Michael Biehn, a beloved name from genre classics like The Terminator and Aliens, steps in with his signature ruggedness, adding weight to the film’s more intense sequences and elevating Rippy’s rampage from pure comedy to something a bit more sinister. Their presence and commitment to their roles help counterbalance the camp factor, giving The Red an unexpected sense of charm.

Yet for all its strengths, The Red doesn’t quite manage to claw its way out of mediocrity. The film’s relentless commitment to its zombie kangaroo premise may not appeal to everyone, with the comedy often overshadowing the horror. Rippy is memorable, if only for his sheer ridiculousness, but he lacks the lasting menace of some of Australia’s other cinematic creatures. Still, The Red will likely find a niche audience who appreciates the tongue-in-cheek approach and the thrill of watching another Australian animal wreak havoc.

The Prognosis:

The Red may not have the lasting power of Australia’s more fearsome horror creatures, but for fans of genre-bending horror and quirky creature features, it’s worth a watch. Pedersen and Biehn’s solid performances keep it engaging enough, and even if Rippy doesn’t become Australia’s next horror icon, he’s definitely unforgettable.

  • Saul Muerte

‘RIPPY’S GONE ROGUE’ AUSSIE ZOMBIE KANGAROO FILM ‘THE RED’ IN AUSTRALIAN CINEMAS OCTOBER 31

Movie Review: Late Night With The Devil (2024)

18 Thursday Apr 2024

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Australian sibling directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes have been meticulously crafting a distinctive voice from behind the lens and with their third outing, Late Night With The Devil they have tapped into the horror zeitgeist on a global scale. Their first feature, 100 Bloody Acres was a more straight up narrative, leaning heavily into macabre humour starring Angus Sampson and Damon Herriman as struggling brothers in the meat industry who add a secret ingredient into the mix with over-the-top comical results.

Upon closer scrutiny though, it would be their second feature, Scare Campaign that is more closely aligned with the direction that LNWTD would take, with a TV show venturing into the occult investigation that goes horribly wrong. Although it missed the mark to a degree in its execution, the Cairnes brothers have learnt from this previous outing and produced a creative and decisive tale with Late Night With The Devil. 

The premise pits David Dastmalchian in his first leading role, as late night talk show Night Owls host Jack Delroy. Delroy embarks on a last ditch attempt to pull back the ratings through a marketing stunt set on Halloween 1977, and books a psychic Christou (Fayssal Bazzi), a sceptic, and a parapsychologist (Laura Gordon) who claims that her surrogate daughter Lily is possessed by the devil. 

The look and feel of this feature is so sweetly on par, it is easy to drift into the era that it is set and be lured in by the spectacle; one of the many tricks that the Cairnes team perform well. The decade of choice is no mere accident either with America rife with violence and horror that has put society on the brink of sanity, exposed to the likes Son of Sam, David Berkowitz and Charles Manson, and with the breakdown of freedom, comes the exposure to occults and satanism, leaving everyone questioning to what end can humanity be exposed to? It is this playground that the directors’ choose to play in and through the medium of television, force this evil into the homes of every suburban household.

The Cairnes also have perfected their craft in storytelling, by slowly eeking out the threat of danger in their chosen format of late night television; each guest that is introduced is a snag on the tooth of the viewer, to pull them deeper into the world they have created, until the final act is revealed with the not so sweet Lily (Ingrid Torelli). The role of the critic, Carmichael Haig (Ian Bliss) is a smart storytelling device too by constantly asking the questions that audiences will naturally come up with. How much of this is real? How much is performance? And how deeply can we keep probing for the truth before we get our cat-like curiosity scorched?

The breadcrumbs that are left along the way, adds to the weight of the journey, and the torment that is exposed by the film’s conclusion. The performances are solid and none more so than Dastmalchian, who’s character Jack is the character truly under scrutiny. How much has he had to sacrifice in order to keep up with the likes of fellow late night presenter Johnny Carson? Is there more to the history behind his wife’s mysterious and fatal illness? These questions can only be dealt with through the meticulous direction and the strength in Dastmalchian’s performance; oozing charm one minute before serving a backhand of depravity the next. We’re guided on a trail of human decline where the end is nowhere to be seen with ruin at every turn.

The Prognosis:

The American Dream is served up on a plate here and scorched beyond recognition. The Cairnes Brothers capitalise on their previous efforts to expose the frailty and deprivation through a stylised lens that is fresh, inviting and delightfully disturbing. 

This is an example of an idea executed so adeptly that every creative player involved brings their A-game to the fold and delivers.

While there are some subtle flaws, the fact that they hold fast to the look, feel and strong performances, allows them to flourish and produce a solid, entertaining feature.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie Review: You’ll Never Find Me (2024)

17 Sunday Mar 2024

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Sit up and take notice Australia as another creative homegrown team have produced a dark tale worthy of your attention. Indiana Bell has once again teamed up with her directing partner Josiah Allen to develop her screenwriting skills for their first feature length outing. 

A deliciously claustrophobic story, set predominately inside a mobile home at the back of an abandoned caravan park during a gloomy and stormy night. Its sole occupant is Patrick (Brendan Rock – Carnifex, The Stranger), a strange and lonely man with hints that he may harbour a disturbing past, or is he just a man suffering from a traumatic incident that has forced him away from society?

On this one night from which the story takes place, Patrick receives an unknown visitor (Jordan Cowan – Jade of Death) at his door; the woman also displays some strange behaviour. Does she also conceal an iniquitous truth? Or is she merely the seeker of one?

From here on out will have a very simple-yet-smart narrative that pits two souls in the midst of singular location. Trust/mistrust, deception/investigation. By the time the story ends the truth will out as both delve deep into heart of it, but neither party may accept the outcome with.

The Prognosis:

This film could so easily be dismissed and with its minimal cinematic release could further bury it amongst a plethora of other features. To do so would be grossly dismissive as Indiana Bell and Josiah Allen have presented a clever and harrowing story carved out of a singular location. Smart in that it keeps the budget down, but also the manner in which they slowly deliver their tale, drags out the tension further much to the delight of the viewer. All of this is further strengthened by its two leads (Rock and Cowan) who equally showcase depth and intrigue to their respective roles. Hats off to cinematographer Maxx Corkindale who crafts his own vision from behind the lens to add another layer to the artistry on display. 

From what has been a quiet year on the horror scene so far, You’ll Never Find Me throws down the gauntlet for originality told on a low budget with a great mix of talent on show.

  • Saul Muerte

You’ll Never Find Me will be available as a Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray at Umbrella Entertainment while stocks last from May 22. 

Movie review: Subject (2023)

21 Saturday Oct 2023

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Described as a suppressed footage film Subject is painfully constrained as it drip feeds paranoia, isolation, desperation and claustrophobia in a tightly wound up exposition. Director Tristan Barr who also stars in the feature essentially squeezes out every ounce of his experimentation into human frailty with the minimum amount he has at hand. The fact that his budget is tight, relies heavily on the delivery and execution, shifting perspectives along the way, and testing his character and the audience with every frame.

Dalensky (Barr) is a man about to serve a lengthy prison sentence but is intercepted by a secret government agency who offer him a deal in exchange for commuting his sentence. All he has to do is spend time in an isolated facility and monitor a strange creature. What appears to be a straight forward contract soon unravels to reveal the true question beneath it all… who is the real subject under scrutiny?

The Prognosis:

The real quality of Subject is from the approach that Barr takes on. To weave a troubled and tensely riddled piece though the constraints on show is cleverly told through a gradual process that steadily places its central character under the spotlight, By providing his audience with little clues to the history of his protagonist, Barr tweaks out the core of the matter, so that we are deprived of the full picture till the last. The journey to get there is equally magnified as he ramps up the tension. While it’s not ground-breaking, there’s enough energy on the screen and smarts in the direction to make this a bold entry into his experimental canon of work thus far from behind the camera.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review – Surrogate (2022)

25 Saturday Mar 2023

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First things first, Surrogate has been improperly overlooked by the film going public, potentially cast aside as a typical ghost horror story, but there’s more than meets the eye for Australian director David Welling’s debut feature film.

Secondly, it boasts Kestie Morassi (Wolf Creek) who deserves more screen time as she carves out another powerful performance for the lead character, Natalie.

On face value, you could be forgiven for your preconceptions as the narrative slowly unfolds but all this allows for Natalie’s plight to become entrenched and equally for Morassi to invest in delivering a deep portrayal of her character.

Natalie is a single parent, who has to rely heavily on her own mother, Anna (Louise Siverson) and her brother, William (Darcy Kent) to raise her daughter Rose (Taysha Farrugia). This is because Natalie is also a full time nurse, which requires her to work out of town every once in a while, taking her away from her family. It is on one of these nights that Natalie encounters an erratically behaved woman. Choosing to ignore her plight, and in doing so these inactions would go on to haunt her. This is one of Welling’s subjects that he wants the audience to pay close scrutiny to. Society is all-too-willing to shirk the responsibilities or face up to any problems that warrant attention. Let’s face it, we’re all so consumed by our own daily tribulations. When Natalie then encounters the woman again that night, thrown into trying to save her life, she unwittingly becomes the ‘surrogate’ of a ghostly presence. Upon returning home, Natalie exhibits all the hallmarks of a pregnancy that baffles doctors and brings the attention of Lauren Balmer (Jane Badler), a child welfare officer. With this comes another subject that Welling zooms in on, with the troubles that single mothers face when under pressure from their commitments and in some cases the wrongful accusations that surmount from external means. 

Natalie’s maternal instincts kick in when the phantom presence becomes a physical one, placing all those close to her, under threat. Is there an ulterior motive for these expressive and harmful measures? Or is there an inherent evil the cause of all this maliciousness? 

The Prognosis:

Welling’s feature is a decent effort for a debut. It embarks on some important issues that unfold through the course of a well-built narrative. 

He also skilfully draws out the best in his players to support his vision with Morassi leading the charge in a captivating performance of a woman struggling to build the best world for her daughter to live in.

  • Saul Muerte

Surrogate is currently screening on TubiTV.

Movie review: Sissy (2022)

12 Saturday Nov 2022

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The writing and directing partnership of Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes prove that they are a force to sit up and pay attention to in their sophomore feature Sissy. On face value this film could appear as a typical trip down a dark past where old haunts rise to the surface but there’s something deeper at play here that spells out a disturbing and topical story. Psychological trauma can fester when not dealt with or addressed in a way that can help heal those involved. Without it, carnage can ensue, which is exactly what happens here.

Sissy (Aisha Dee) is a social influencer, projecting a world of calm and serenity out into the social cyber world. A life appears to be bliss but it soon becomes evident that she has a temporary band aid over her to propel any fears or anxieties that she has and it’s about to get wrenched off when she bumps into her former school BFF, Emma (played by Barlow). We soon learn that Emma is about to get married and old feelings are explored once more when Sissy is asked to join her for a night out, swiftly followed by a weekend away with friends to celebrate Emma’s upcoming nuptials. Sissy is all too eager to please, hoping that she can rekindle their friendship and the connection they once had. That is until Alex (Emily De Margheriti) enters the scene once again. The girl who took away that friendship and sparked an inner rage in Sissy with drastic consequences. Can Sissy contain these feelings or will it all bubble over and the fury take control.

The Prognosis

Essentially what Barlow and Senes have tapped into here is the psychological upheaval that is brought about through social trauma. This tale has humour and heartache abound as we watch the slow disintegration of strength and positivity as it crumbles in the wake of old scars. We can never really bury our emotions, good or ill without some kind of ramification. Sissy is the extreme example of what can occur when we don’t pay attention to the negative aspects of our life and face up to them. With solid performances and believable characters stretched to their most extreme personifications, there’s delight to be found amongst the carnage and mayhem.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: The Reef: Stalked

27 Wednesday Jul 2022

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Australian Director Andrew Traucki certainly has a taste for aquaphobia with his breakout feature hits Black Water, and The Reef. Back in 2020, he decided to revisit his croc shock feature with the sequel, Black Water: Abyss. Now is the turn of the shark, with a delve back into the reef with a twist in the tale for The Reef: Stalked.

His hook is in telling the story of Nic (Teressa Liane), who is still in the breaches of surviving the trauma of her sister’s murder. Nic tries to reconnect with the world by submerging herself into an old pastime on a kayaking adventure with her younger sister, Annie (Saskia Archer), and her two friends, Jodie (Ann Truong) and Lisa (Kate Lister). Before long the predator of the ocean makes its presence known and begins to hunt them down without backing down once it latches onto their scent.

The topic of trauma is a gripping one and presents and interesting premise for Traucki to grapple with and I applaud him in dabbling in this terrain to weave together an incredible story about survival against the odds and placing it in a shark horror feature.

The premise, and the topic may have been a stretch too far to blend them together with a sense of ease, as too often the focus shifts on the unrest between the two siblings rather than the fear itself. It’s a tough balancing act, because you want to establish a connection with your audience by building on the characters’ exchange with one another. Unfortunately I felt that the dialogue and performances were waning; a crying shame as Traucki has proven up to the task before, especially in his feature debut, Black Water, thrusting his female protagonists played by Diana Glenn and Maeve Dermody through the ringer, with grit and determination. 

The lack of grit is all too evident here, and the leads spar off each other from one scenario to the next without too much substance to wade through.

So what of the shark? 

When it appears there are flashes of images to spark fear in the audience but it never comes across as sinister enough and murky as a result. The one moment where your heart spins for a moment, is when some children are caught in the mix with their life in the hands of fate. In this instance, you are willing for them to survive and here Traucki shows his hand at playing with the audience’s heartstrings. A sign that he still knows how to play that card and its not completely lost at sea.

The Prognosis:

Shark movies are always a tough gig to sell, and Andrew Traucki does his best to repeat his formula from his 2010 feature, The Reef with a notable and worthy attempt at looking at the impact of trauma.

I really wanted to like this film and champion homegrown Australian cinema but despite some notable moments, the result is a stretch too far with performances and dialogue not weighing up to the potential that a strong subject like trauma deserves. 

  • Saul Muerte

The Reef: Stalked is released in Australian cinemas from Thursday 28th July.

Retrospective: Undead (2003)

12 Sunday Dec 2021

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Before the Spierig Brothers would take on what would be their second feature film as their writer, director, producer team with Daybreakers starring Ethan Hawke, and possibly their best movie to date. 

Before they would even attempt to expand the Saw franchise with Jigsaw and then to breathe further life into the Hammer Films productions with Winchester, they would craft their first feature, Undead; a schlocky, low budget, zombie / alien invasion feast set in remote Australia.
The movie has just been released by Umbrella Entertainment as a Blu-ray/Dvd edition for their Beyond Genres collection. Check out the extras at the foot of this article.

The movie itself is not exactly brain fodder, but I remember from its initial release back in 2003 that it was a lot of fun to watch and packed with that unusual blend of Aussie humour that always seems to lift the storyline. There are some iconic moments too, namely from Mungo Mckay’s character Marion, a doomsday prepper who has encountered a paranormal encounter before and has been subjected to being an outcast ever since. His performance channels somewhere between Ash Campbell for sheer resilience and his namesake, James Wayne, with a cowboy like approach to survival and armed with a triple shotgun among his many resources.

Interestingly though, Marion isn’t the hero of the movie, as our lead protagonist falls to meek Rene (Felicity Mason) who has been a downtrodden character most of her life and just wants to get the hell out of Kansas. When push comes to shove though, she soon shows her metal and comes out fighting.

To look at this movie and scorn the performances though which I have seen some people comment on is to miss the style that The Spierig Brothers were going for. Clearly, they wanted to experiment with some visual effects, something that the extras in this release shines a light on. Undead would be their showpiece and a playing field for them to experiment with what they could do through a feature narrative. The problem as always is budget, which there wasn’t a lot of. So knowing this, the filmmakers went with a ramped up melodramatic, pulp style 50’s invasion feel. One that, knowing this beforehand, takes the pressure of applying a highbrow response to and simply letting it flow and enjoying the ride.

The film is packed with a lot of set play, from zombies attacking, survival instincts, seedy characters, bullheaded police officers, aliens, infection and nods to the era that formed the base of these kind of movies, one that comes to mind are some of the earlier scenes in Village of the Damned. There are also elements of Night of the Living Dead at play here, all of which goes to show that The Spierig Brothers are lovers of their craft and with Undead shows a great introduction to the celluloid mainstream with a film that wears its heart on its sleeve. So while it may not be original or groundbreaking, Undead still offers enough to entertain and essential viewing for film lovers who are interested in following the journey of a couple of creatives in the rise.

  • Saul Muerte

Undead is released on Blu Ray and DVD by Umbrella Entertainment.

Details of the extras are listed as follows:

  • Original Soundtrack CD
  • Audio Commentary with Directors Peter and Michael Spierig and Cinematographer Andy Strahorn
  • On the set of the Undead
  • Attack of the Undead – Short Film
  • The Making of Undead
  • Homemade Dolly Video
  • Undead Camera and Make-up Tests
  • Stills Gallery
  • Theatrical Trailer

Movie review: The Witches of Blackwood (2021)

10 Friday Sep 2021

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I really wanted to champion this movie. After all, not only is it a homegrown movie and for this Surgeons of Horror love to support where we can; and it also boasts Cassandra Magrath (Wolf Creek) as its lead protagonist.

Unfortunately the story falls short of expectations, lost in the murkiness of the folklore that it was trying to create and one can’t help but feel that it is the writing that is lacking in depth or clarity.

It’s not like Australia is incapable of producing witchery or the dark arts with investigation and mystery. One need only look at the fantastic series The Gloaming written by Vicky Madden to see what it takes to do this with a contemporary feel and to do it well. Sure, this was worked into a series with ample time to allow the characters to acquire the depth needed to dive into the enigma, but that feels like an easy out as what transpires out of The Witches of Blackwood lacks anything solid for the audience to grab onto and as such, we lose interest quite swiftly.

Haunted by an incident while on duty as a police officer, Claire (Magrath) returns to her old stomping ground to heal old wounds and new ones following the wake of her mother’s death.
When she arrives in Blackwood however, she is met with ill-feeling and strange encounters from the locals. This leads her to find her inner sleuth once more, to uncover what people are hiding and revelations that will test her will.

The Diagnosis: 

I thought that Magrath was compelling in this and given the chance to show off her acting abilities that have have been left to the wind in other recent movies.
Director Kate Whitbread carves out some beautiful moments to highlight the harsh yet beautiful landscape that Australia has to offer, but without any real substance, the film simply can’t lift itself out of the quagmire, sinking into a shallow plot. 

  • Saul Muerte