A retro slasher movie invaded by unwelcome 21st century tropes, this offers 80’s clichés like the campfire-exposition sequence and Crazy Ralph-styled locals warning the protagonists – led by an uncomfortably emaciated Tara Reid – not to head to the notorious title location. The disfigured, retarded Charlie (Nathan Jones), son of cannibalistic, serial murderer / rapist Bill Moseley, follows his dad’s murderous work.
A rare Australian take on the USA’s backwoods-massacre sub-genre, this shoehorns in gratuitous on-screen references to Jason, Freddy and DELIVERANCE and wraps up with a now-standard cynical final scene that would be more effective if we actually gave a shit about any of the characters. The barrel-chested, feral killer is an obvious attempt to create a HATCHET-style franchise and Kane Hodder shows up as an excuse for a climactic mano a mano with the man-mountain maniac. It’s all slickly done, though the only true satisfaction comes from the superior gore sequences: cocks and jaws are ripped off with sadistic abandon and fine make up effects.
Review by Steven West