Crocodile/Alligator movies are okay, I liked Lake Placid 1&2 and have a copy of Black Water, but haven’t watched it, and I remember the 80’s flick Alligator, my first introduction to the horror sub-genre. But, there have been a slew of others that are less than memorable and only wanted to cash in on the water-beast fame, so why would I expect anything different from this one?
Rogue is set in the Northern Territory of Australia, which has lush greenery, photo-worthy wildlife, and long flowing rivers. Several tourists, along with Marty, a travel writer, board Ryan’s Wildlife River Cruise to view the sites and local wonders. During their ride, they see several crocs, beautiful scenery, and many river-side sites worthy of a picture in National Geographic.
The moment Marty boards the boat, there seems to be a connection with his tour guide, Katie, and they pass flirtatious glances during the ride. The trip seems pretty tame, even with a small altercation with a couple of local troublemakers, until Katie decides to respond to a flare that’s seen by one of the passengers. So, the barge steams ahead, and while looking for someone in need, it's struck by a large croc, causing it to spring a leak and dock on the nearest bank. It's quickly learned that the tide is rising, and what land they’re on will soon be submerged, so the plan is to swim to the other side, but wait, there’s a friggin huge croc out there. Despite that, one guy gets in the water ready to make a break for it, but is stopped by another, who gets snatched up by the water beast. The troublemakers from earlier come by, and rather than help, they drive by without a care, but their boat is attacked too, and Neil is the only to make it to shore.
The plan to get across is quickly seconded, so Neil takes the plunge and strings a rope between two trees so everyone can cross without getting in the water. The first person to go freezes midway, and although only so much weight can be supported, in panic, a father sends his daughter and decides to follow. Needless to say, the rope breaks, and all go plunging into the water. Neil is consumed while waiting for the others, and Mr. Crocodile returns to the water to take another life. Running Death Toll: 4.
Marty decides, Hey, let’s catch this fucker, and then we can make a break for it. But, what do we use for bait...maybe Katie’s dog, Kevin? So, they rig up a rope fishing line using an anchor as a hook, life jackets as bobbers, and dead foul for bait. (And you thought he’d use the pooch, shame on you!) Plan seems to go well as Mr. Croc takes the bait, but after a short struggle, he breaks away and takes Kate under while she’s trying to get across. Marty and Kevin makes it to the other side, and like Lassie would diligently try to find Timmy, Kevin runs to find Kate, who’s found in the nook of a large tree, badly hurt, but still alive.
Mr. Croc returns home (to his tree) exhausted after a long days work and falls asleep. Marty sees the prime time to boogie out of here, but not before one more battle with Jaws. Marty gets a couple of fingers bitten off, but manages to get away, and then braces himself against a rock with a sharp branch in-hand, and gouges the croc right through the roof of his mouth when he tries to bite him. Death toll: 4 people, one croc, and some birds. Marty, Katie, and Kevin exit the croc's dwelling and live happily ever after.
Surprisingly, this movie didn’t suck, and although it isn’t the greatest croc story ever told, it offered beautiful landscapes, thick Australian accents, tons of flies, and some decent crocodile carnage. And, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m kind of fond of Australian movies since my twin brother, Kelly, lives there. So, there’s a scene at the beginning where Marty stops at a bar for a drink, and the bartender puts a dead fly in it before serving it to him. Kelly told me once that Aussie’s really didn’t like Americans, and they call them Seppos, short for septic tank, or shit. But, also according to my sibling, if Aussies like you, they may call you the same thing. I guess it’s an Australian thing because even though I have some shitty friends, and may say Hey, Shithead, how’s it going?, or You’re so full of shit!, I don’t usually tend to associate my friend-base with the stuff I leave in the toilet. But, those crazy Aussies, their toilets flush backwards, so maybe do their thoughts.
Not a bad movie, but don’t expect anything that hasn’t already been done. And, even though there seemed to be growth by the director, Greg McLean, who also directed Wolf Creek, it seems he'll tap into any genre in order to help put Australia on the map. But, a croc feature makes sense since it's a subject that's so close to home. Heck, he can't be outshined by the Kiwis (Peter Jackson), so he's gotta try something. If you like gator movies, it’s worth a watch, but if you'd rather see pretty scenery with less bloodshed, watch Planet Earth, National Geographic, Crocodile Hunter, or Crocodile Dundee.
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OVERALL RATING--3-- |
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