For an Aussie film this is pretty cheesy, BUT not half bad for the low budget. A cat and mouse game between a serial killer and army vet. Supposedly set in the bush but had my doubts of where it was filmed. It was entertaining with the scenery and the chase. Not great BY any means but workth a 4 out of 10.
The Backpacker
2011
Action / Horror / Thriller
The Backpacker
2011
Action / Horror / Thriller
Plot summary
On the lonely back roads of rural Australia a deadly secret from the past awaits returned soldier Sergeant Ben Cross. Vincent Malek, a cruel and uncompromising killer forces Ben to play his deadly game. Relentlessly hunted through unforgiving terrain, Ben must draw on all his strength to survive, and unravel the truth along the way. The ultimate psychological chase film with revenge at its core, The Backpacker is a thriller in the same chilling vein as the late 60's box office sensation 'Deliverance'. As Malek hunts Ben relentlessly through his forest hunting ground in a gruesome game of cat and mouse, the action revolves around one crucial question: how far would you go for revenge...
Uploaded by: OTTO
April 12, 2015 at 08:18 AM
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Very Low budget thriller
Stay off the back roads
Military veteran Ben Cross (Nathan Waring) and his girlfriend Nina (Laura Andersen) decide to hitchhike/ backpack across rural Australia, visiting small rural bars that play death metal music. There are posters of missing people in the area. "Stay off the back roads" is written on a restroom mirror.
In spite of the warnings our couple decide to break up and hitchhike as Nina claims "Hitchhiking is a girl's game," so Ben takes her on her challenge. Eventually this turns into a human hunting game with a guy named Vincent (Vincent Stone) who has a French accent and camouflage make-up.
This is not the best in genre. Ben is a minor league Rambo, which makes him more believable. Most of the action takes place off screen. When a person is head butted with a rifle, we never see the blow to the head. Even simple face slapping to done facing away from the camera.
A film likes this appeals to people who want to see the violence, not just the results. If you decide you are not going to show the violence, then we need an "A" plan with better stars and plot.
Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex or nudity. Off screen rape?
"An Insult to One's Intelligence"
So much necessary criticism to level, so little space.
At the top of the list of things wrong with this film is that it was
made in the first place: In the absence of a sensible, coherent script,
there is no excuse for this film ever getting off the ground or
attracting finance.
Second, it was actually released: In the absence of any pride in one's
work or respect for one's audience, those involved should NEVER again
work in this industry.
In equal third place are the oh so numerous problems within the film,
which, to detail, would require touching on every single scene. Every
single scene! We ain't wasting that much time here.
But, to give some sort of impression of the level of 'bad' we're
talking about, this is a film where a stalker/hunter gives his
victim/prey a mobile phone so they can "stay in touch" (as you do),
with which the idiot victim never once uses to call the police -- or
anyone for that matter.
And if keeping in touch via phone is not enough, the hunter tracks his
victim -- not with a GPS, or radio-wave, or any sort of credible
technology -- but with a
wait for it
a volt-meter.
A volt-meter. A volt-meter? Yes, a volt-meter.
There is NOTHING redeemable in this film. EVERYTHING is poor: script,
direction, acting, dialogue, characters, story, logic and
believability.
There is no possible future for these film-makers -- and I use that
term loosely -- nor should there be. And, being an Aussie myself, this
woeful attempt at film-making does Australia a gross disservice.