Killing Ground

Killing Ground is a 2016 Australian psychological horror film directed by Damien Power, featuring Aaron Pedersen, Ian Meadows, and Harriet Dyer among its talented cast. The film is a fascinating and suspense-filled exploration into the darkest corners of human nature, amplified by incapacitating fear and set against the backdrop of a chillingly serene Australian outback. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and it's one that is sure to challenge your expectations and make you think about the unsettling possibility of stumbling upon your worst nightmare.

Ian Meadows (The Water Diviner) and Harriet Dyer (Love Child) play Sam and Ian, a young, in-love, city-dwelling couple looking forward to a peaceful New Year's Eve camping trip in the picturesque wilderness. Anxious to take a break from their busy lives, the couple is excited to revel in the rustic charm of the isolated campsite. However, their romantic getaway takes a drastic turn as they realize neither the surrounding nature, nor their fellow campers are as tame and idyllic as they initially seem. The seemingly tranquil escape site hides a darker secret which they unwillingly discover.

Aaron Pedersen (Mystery Road) stars as German, one half of an ominous duo that brings a menacing undertone to this trip into the wild. Paired with Aaron Glenane (Molly) as Chook, they're a formidable pair that instantly set the viewers at unease. Their eerie demeanour and surprising involvement in the plot adds another layer to the undercurrent of terror that begins to unfold within the story.

Through a non-linear narrative, Damian Power intricately weaves the stories of these characters together, painting a disturbing, and sometimes shocking picture of the events that transpire. Power's direction toys with temporal reality, breaking the chronological order to gradually reveal the overarching horror of the situation, heightening the suspense and creating a reel that keeps audiences on edge.

Beyond its skin-crawling plot, Killing Ground is also an exquisite study of juxtaposition. The corroding line between perpetrators and victims, civilized society and lawless brutality, picturesque serenity and horrifying violence- each contrast is carefully illustrated to enhance the narrative tension. It underscores the idea that danger often lurks in the most unlikely places, and can emerge from the most unexpected individuals.

The environment plays a critical role in the movie's narrative. The stunning, unkempt Australian outback, simultaneously breathtaking and daunting, serves as an isolated backdrop, reinforcing the feeling of isolation and susceptibility. The lush green, serene wilderness forms a contrasting canvas that accentuates the grit and sheer terror of the unfolding events.

The performances are exceptional across the board. Meadows and Dyer perfectly encapsulate the dread and helplessness of urban dwellers thrust into a sudden, unimaginable survival situation. On the other hand, Aaron Pedersen offers an unnerving portrayal of a man hardened by the rugged outback life and demonstrates how thin the divide between man and monster can be.

Killing Ground employs classic horror tropes and suspense-building techniques, underscoring them with the underlying shock of confronting the unknown. Instead of relying on gory visuals or superficial jump scares, it maintains a persistently eerie and jarring atmosphere that nudges you to the edge of your seat and keeps you there.

Masterfully crafted with a keen eye for visual detail, a gruelling landscape, and layered with consistent dread, Killing Ground is a visceral experience that is both gripping and deeply unsettling. Beneath the veil of time-warped narrative structuring, the film is ultimately a suspenseful tale of survival, underpinned by raw human instincts and a petrifying vision of reality where the known becomes unknown, safety transforms to threat, and tranquil beauty turns into a site of horror. It’s a psychological journey that is destined to stay with the viewer long after the credits roll, emblematic of the dynamic potentials of the survival horror genre.

Despite its harsh, visceral unease, or perhaps because of it, Killing Ground intertwines horror and psychological exploration, making it a film that is as thought-provoking as it is terrifying. For anyone looking for an intense, psychological horror-thriller that pushes the boundaries of expectation, Killing Ground comes strongly recommended.