RogueRated R
Running time: 1 hr 35 mins
Cast:
Michael Vartan
Radha Mitchell
Sam Worthington
Critical consensus:
***1/2 out of *****
(100% Fresh rating!)
Matt's Take:
Has Not Viewed
Mikey @ The Movies Official Rating:
***1/2 out of *****
The premise:
An American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile.
MY REVIEW
An American journalist on assignment in the Australian outback encounters a man-eating crocodile.
MY REVIEW
For starters, I'm a bit shocked to discover this was not a straight-to-DVD released film, I was under the impression that it was. Turns out it was given a limited theatrical release back in April. I guess I should have realized this, considering it stars Michael Vartan (TV's Alias) and Radha Mitchell (Phone Booth, Silent Hill). Granted, these aren't huge, headlining stars, but at the same time not ones you'd see in a DVD released film. I also should have noticed when the special effects weren't completely ridiculous.
Honestly, Rogue is quite the entertaining film. I like it even more now that I know for sure it's not a crappy straight-to-DVD flick. It's a movie about a group of tourists who are attacked by a blood thirsty, man eating crocodile in the Australian Outback. You have all the potential in the world to do to much with a storyline like that, but Rogue stays very basic and really simple. The story never truly focuses to much on any one character. We don't learn any stupid, ridiculous backstory to any of these people. We know some of their general stories, but thats it. This movie is about this group trying to get away from a monster...thats it. You see hints of romance between Vartan and Mitchell but it never flourishes before our eyes, but you get the idea they grow to like eachother. Theres no over the top character you just hate with a passion, theres no noble character who tries desperately be the hero. These are all general people who are all equally scared for their lives.
Another aspect I appreciated was they didn't overshow this crocodile. In fact, you don't even see the full thing until the last 10 minutes of the movie. You see glimpses here and there, you hear his thrashing in the water and his growling, but never get a full shot of him untill the end. That honestly makes for a more realistic and successful monster movie in my opinion. When we see these glimpses, and then finally see the full thing, the effects are actually pretty good. Not the best I've ever seen obviously, but I was impressed about how almost real it actually looked.
Is this movie scary? No. Not in my mind at least. Does it have the potential to scare audiences, I think so. I just don't get scared in movies, it's very rare when a film makes me feel uncomfortable in that regard. It does happen though, trust me. That's not its only flaw. The end of the film kind of lost me. Not storywise or anything like that. It just seemed the monster was killed way to easy by one man, and the whole group couldn't devise a plot that simple before. Another thing is, they don't explain what happens to the rest of the group. You kind of have to see the film to understand what I mean. There isn't a lot of death in the movie, a lot of people make it out alive...or so we think. The group "gets away" from the monster and also the two main characters, and in the last 10 minutes of the film, we never see them again. They run into the woods...thats it. We see Vartan and Mitchell...but no one else. Unless for some reason I missed it, which is possible. I just don't want to go back and check.
Overall, if you want a fun and entertaining film, I would definitely suggest Rogue. It's not perfect or amazing, but for goodness sakes its a movie about a killer crocodile. What more do you want? An Oscar winning story? Brilliant peformances? I cherish films like this. They don't make you overthink, they don't challange you in any way, they are just a good time. I like a movie like this every once in a while. Oh and by the way, to those who wonder...I think this movie is better than that other Croc movie, Lake Placid, which some of you may know I'm a fan of.
Honestly, Rogue is quite the entertaining film. I like it even more now that I know for sure it's not a crappy straight-to-DVD flick. It's a movie about a group of tourists who are attacked by a blood thirsty, man eating crocodile in the Australian Outback. You have all the potential in the world to do to much with a storyline like that, but Rogue stays very basic and really simple. The story never truly focuses to much on any one character. We don't learn any stupid, ridiculous backstory to any of these people. We know some of their general stories, but thats it. This movie is about this group trying to get away from a monster...thats it. You see hints of romance between Vartan and Mitchell but it never flourishes before our eyes, but you get the idea they grow to like eachother. Theres no over the top character you just hate with a passion, theres no noble character who tries desperately be the hero. These are all general people who are all equally scared for their lives.
Another aspect I appreciated was they didn't overshow this crocodile. In fact, you don't even see the full thing until the last 10 minutes of the movie. You see glimpses here and there, you hear his thrashing in the water and his growling, but never get a full shot of him untill the end. That honestly makes for a more realistic and successful monster movie in my opinion. When we see these glimpses, and then finally see the full thing, the effects are actually pretty good. Not the best I've ever seen obviously, but I was impressed about how almost real it actually looked.
Is this movie scary? No. Not in my mind at least. Does it have the potential to scare audiences, I think so. I just don't get scared in movies, it's very rare when a film makes me feel uncomfortable in that regard. It does happen though, trust me. That's not its only flaw. The end of the film kind of lost me. Not storywise or anything like that. It just seemed the monster was killed way to easy by one man, and the whole group couldn't devise a plot that simple before. Another thing is, they don't explain what happens to the rest of the group. You kind of have to see the film to understand what I mean. There isn't a lot of death in the movie, a lot of people make it out alive...or so we think. The group "gets away" from the monster and also the two main characters, and in the last 10 minutes of the film, we never see them again. They run into the woods...thats it. We see Vartan and Mitchell...but no one else. Unless for some reason I missed it, which is possible. I just don't want to go back and check.
Overall, if you want a fun and entertaining film, I would definitely suggest Rogue. It's not perfect or amazing, but for goodness sakes its a movie about a killer crocodile. What more do you want? An Oscar winning story? Brilliant peformances? I cherish films like this. They don't make you overthink, they don't challange you in any way, they are just a good time. I like a movie like this every once in a while. Oh and by the way, to those who wonder...I think this movie is better than that other Croc movie, Lake Placid, which some of you may know I'm a fan of.
CURRENT MIKEY @ THE MOVIES AWARD NOMINATIONS:
- None
To view this films theatrical trailer, click this link: Rogue
*This is the 85th new film I've seen and reviewed this year.
*This film is now on DVD.
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