Halloween Horror Marathon: 100 Bloody Acres

poster - 100 Bloody Acres
Big ups to 100 Bloody Acres for starting in media res. You’ve no idea what this man’s name is, much less why this selfsame man is pulling a body from a wrecked lorry. You’ll eventual grow to like every character in this movie, though, whether or not they’re a victim or victimizer, and it’s a testament to directors Colin and Cameron Cairnes that they were able to make even backcountry madmen likeable.

Additionally, the film manages to walk a very fine line between generating unease of a comedic sort, along with unease of the terrifying kind, a deft act which is a difficult thing to do. It’s a natural inclination to giggle when you’re scared, and 100 Bloody Acres milks that for all it’s worth. Tucker & Dale did it, Shaun of the Dead did it … and so many other films fail in that balance, so it was with some trepedation I pressed “play” on this movie.

It kind of reminds me of The Cars That Ate Paris, in terms of backcountry Australians doing what they think’s best, even if that means killing all kinds of people. Much like that film, it’s all kinds of skewed weirdness. It’s menacing and uncomfortable, but delightfully manic in its gore and violence. It’s not overdone, but the killings which happen are unflinching. People getting pulped aren’t pretty.

The soundtrack of Australian pop hits of yesteryear lend the film a pastoral charm, as well. As my wife commented, “It’s nice to see the United States don’t have a monopoly on terrible music.” The radio station allows for a cool connective thread, letting the viewer in on where everything’s happening in space and time.

Maybe I was way too jacked on generic NyQuil, but the scenes of tripping on acid while running through an abandoned kiddy park called Fairyland were the most hallucinogenic thing I’ve seen since A Field in England. The line, “He wants my potassium!” might be something I need to work into conversation far more often.

I went into 100 Bloody Acres expecting a chuckle and a grin, but ended up getting a film that delighted me. It’s not just a good comedy, nor horror, nor even horror comedy — it’s a good movie, period.