The key to a good horror that will truly terrify its audience is to make the horror at hand so realistic that the audience believes that horror could exist in it’s midst. That is exactly what makes new Australian film ‘Acolytes’ such a joy to watch. The horror at hand is so realistic that you will be eyeing off those who live in your suburb and wondering what secrets they keep.
Mark (Sebastian Gregory) and James (Joshua Payne) were only young boys when they fell victim to child-rapist, Gary Parker (Michael Dorman), so it is quite understandable that they are scared when Parker is released from prison and once again moves into their area. They decide to put their fear to the side and live a normal life with their friend, Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawrence), with whom James is having a relationship and Mark has an intense crush on. Despite their decision James baits Parker by having the Police search his home and Parker once again comes after them. After discovering a backpacker’s corpse the three teens work together and discover that local man, Ian Wright (Joel Edgerton) is a serial killer. When they manage to confirm that decide to blackmail Wright into killing Parker… a very dangerous game indeed.
What makes this film so eerie to watch is that you can fully understand why these teens would want to use Wright to kill Parker. This added to the fact that Wright is not made out to be a hideous monster but is instead shown as your ‘typical-man-next-door’ and this film becomes very creepy with its intense realism. When you allow this to take full effect you begin to realise that director, Jon Hewitt has finally stepped up to the level that he promised with his second film ‘Redball’. Hewitt’s sense of eerie-realism is his true power and what makes ‘Acolytes’ a true masterpiece.
‘Acolytes’ is made even better by brilliant performances by both Dorman and Edgerton. Dorman shakes off any hint of the nice, Christian Hayden he played in ‘Secret Life Of Us’ with a terrific portrayal of the brutal rapist, Parker, while you literally forget that you are watching Joel Edgerton when the evil Wright graces the screen. Wright is right up there with characters such as Hannibal Lector for his evilness and it’s not over-reacting by comparing Edgerton’s performance to that of Sir Anthony Hopkins in ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’. Young actor, Sebastian Gregory also continues to show why he is to be considered one of Australia’s brightest acting stars.
With brilliant acting, great directing, terrific storyline and sensational soundtrack ‘Acolytes’ holds his own and is one of the finest horror-thrillers to be released this year.
Year: 2008
Director: Jon Hewitt
Stars: Sebastian Gregory, Joshua Payne, Michael Dorman, Hanna Mangan Lawrence, Joel Edgerton
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 91 mins
Rating: 