100 Bloody Acres

Cast of Characters:
Reg Morgan - Damon Herriman
Lindsay Morgan - Angus Sampson
Sophie - Anna McGahan
James - Oliver Ackland
Wes - Jamie Kristian
Burke - John Jarratt

Director - Colin Cairnes & Cameron Cairnes
Screenplay - Colin Cairnes & Cameron Cairnes
Not Rated

      Straight out of Australia, up and coming sibling filmmakers Colin and Cameron Cairnes give us their feature length film debut, 100 Bloody Acres. Does it show promise for writing/director duo, or should they - as the saying goes - not quit their day-job?

      100 Bloody Acres opens with Reg Morgan (Damon Herriman), a delivery driver for a small organic blood and bone fertilizer company operated by both him and his brother Lindsay (Angus Sampson). What's their recipe? Dead car crash victims, that's what. While picking up some "inventory" on the side of the road, he comes upon three travelers - Sophie (Anna McGahan), James (Oliver Ackland) and Wes (Jamie Kristian) - on their way to a music festival, yet stranded with car trouble. Reg decides to give them a lift, Sophie in the front with him and James and Wes in the back of the truck with the supplies. While on their way, it doesn't take long for James and Wes to find the secret recipe hidden among some bags.

      Freaking out, Reg takes them to his fertilizing plant to get try and straighten everything out with the three. He wants to cause no trouble at all, but his brutish brother Lindsay doesn't exactly see eye to eye. Now that they know, they can't be trusted. To keep them quiet, Lindsay and Reg hold the three hostage inside their plant. Do they manage to get away, or will they become just another "contributor" to their business?

      I didn't know what to expect from this film. I was unfamiliar with the cast and obviously the Cairnes brothers. Maybe going in not knowing what to expect was to my benefit, 'cause like Sightseers earlier this year, 100 Bloody Acres is a damn good time. While most people seem to be classifying this as horror film, I myself wouldn't see it that way. This is more in the vein of a Coen brothers dark comedy or Shaun of the Dead (another low-budget dark comedy/zombie film shot overseas). The characters are extremely well written, particularly Reg. What he does with his brother is obviously repulsive, yet there's a likeability and even a sympathetic element to his character that you often times don't see in a person who's known for grinding humans into fertilizer. "Don't worry. We're gonna put it on the high setting for you. That way it'll be over fast.", Reg politely says as he and Lindsay are about to grind a victim. Lindsay is the more straightforward character of the bunch. Some have compared him to Peter Stormare's character from Fargo, and I definitely see the similarities. There's clearly a sad and quietly ominous vibe about him much in the same way Stormare was in the Coen brothers classic. There's a scene featuring Lindsay and a cop later on in the film that shows Colin and Cameron were definitely influenced by Joel and Ethan. James and Wes seem like the cliche sweetheart/douche bag combo, but by the end of the film you start to see they have a little bit of both qualities within them. Sophie holds her own up against the boys just as well. She may seem like a "City slu-uh-uh-slicker!" (according to Reg), but over time we find out she has her reasons.

      With a sharply written script, excellent direction, a terrific all-around cast, and a great final shot, 100 Bloody Acres was quite a surprise for me. It's low-budget movies like these that come out every now and then that are one of the reasons I love movies. The Cairnes brothers certainly have a ways to go before we can make a definitive decision on where they stand as filmmakers. Consistency is something they have yet to prove from my point of view. That being said, this is far from a bad way to start. Note to all readers: do not watch this if you have a stomach that's a bit on the weak side. I give 100 Bloody Acres an A (★★★★).