The TV mini-series of Wolf Creek which premieres on PopTV on October 14, 2016 is a tremendous success. Greg McLean, serving as producer and directing the final episode, translates the films into a riveting and thrilling six episodes. John Jarratt reprises his role as Mick Taylor, the serial killer roaming the outback. Lucy Fry stars as Eve Thorogood, a rare survivor who is hell-bent on finding and destroying the man who killed her family. The series focuses on Eve as she first miraculously escapes Taylor’s fury and struggles to find his whereabouts facing threats…and a few allies…in a dangerous and rugged landscape. It quickly becomes Eve’s coming of age story as she evolves into someone far different than she began when she landed in Australia for a quiet family vacation. McClean describes the series as “holy shit scary” and he is not wrong. The series pulls no punches with shocking gore and frightening encounters with the madman. The acting is strong, the direction is fantastic and the story is captivating. Wolf Creek is do-not-miss television. Find it. Watch it. Love it.
Produced in conjunction with Lionsgate Television and Zodiak Rights, the Wolf Creek TV series follows the Thorogood family as they set out into the Australian Outback for a much needed vacation. It’s a bit of a “working” vacation as they are looking to help young Eve (Lucy Fry) overcome her addiction to pain killers and struggles to get her life back on track. When Lucy’s brother Ross (Cameron Caulfield) is attacked by a crocodile, he is saved by a local trapper named Mick Taylor (John Jarratt). Before the night is over, Mick kills the family and shots Lucy as the darts into the creek. When he cannot find her body, he presumes the “crocs” got her. But, she survives and lands in the arms of the local police, in particular officer Sullivan hill (Dustin Clare). When Eve recovers, she escapes police custody and chases after the man who viscously murder her family.
Without a doubt, Lucy Fry is brilliant as the American tourist Eve. She gives her characters both an innocence and a determined vengeful drive. It is an incredibly interesting dynamic and Fry gives Eve her all. Through the six episodes, Eve goes through a tremendous transformation, an often harrowing and painful metamorphosis. Her performance is the heartbeat of the show making the series worth watching all on its own. It’s an incredible star-making performance full of grit, courage and conviction many shows never receive.
John Jarratt effortlessly slips back into the roll of Mick Taylor. He excused both depravity and charm with every stare, smile and action. He has the villainy of Taylor down to a science. He commands the screen with his presence and tone. The camera embraces him, illuminating each horrific gesture and gaze. He easily overshadows other villainous characters within the story whether they are slimy womanizing trolls, criminal bikers or escaped convicts. No one can one up Mick Taylor and no one is safe.
Wolf Creek does not shy away from the graphic content. Fans of special effect and splatter will be satisfied with the amount of bloodshed and violence. The opening scene sets the tone and each episode never lets up. The series is full of be-headings, amputations, evisceration and more. Shows like Hannibal, American Horror Story and The Walking Dead have paved a renaissance of graphic horror on television unlike horror fans see even within theatrical films and Wolf Creek sits comfortable in their company.
It is too easy to dismiss Wolf Creek as a television series no one asked for, yet another translation of a popular film franchise on the small screen. This is criminal mistake. Wolf Creek is fantastic, a rewarding and surprising focused adaptation of the material. The writers wonderfully follow their protagonist, the young American tourist trapped in a world she barely understands and is hardly prepared for. Yes, she rises to the challenge, determined to exact revenge upon the man who killer her family. Lucy Fry is the reason to watch Wolf Creek as they transforms Eve. Her character evolves over the six episodes. It also helps that many of the supporting characters are equally complex and entertaining: Dustin Clare is heroic as Sullivan Hill, Richard Cawthorne as Kane a twisted biker with a soft spot for Eve, or Jake Ryan as Johnny a surprising but ill-fated ally. Directors Tony Tilse and Greg McLean craft a horrifying, daunting tale of Eve as she hunts down and confronts the serial killer Mick Taylor. Locate PopTV on your local cable network and watch Wolf Creek, it’s well worth the effort and should not be missed.
Wolf Creek (PopTV 2016) 
(4.3 / 5)
Doc a lifelong fan of horror films, sci-fi flicks and monster movies first discovering Universal Monsters and Planet of the Apes as a young child in the 1970's searching out every issue of Famous Monster of Filmland (and, later, Fangoria). Favorite films include Jaws, The Car, The Birds, The Tingler, Vampire Circus and The Exorcist. Still a huge fan of horror films from the 70s, Doc continues consuming horror films to this day for the site, for the podcasts and for the fun of it all.
