Fortress (1985)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Better Late Then Never

A Brilliant Conflict

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

I watched this movie when I was 18 and it made a great impression on me. I went wild, began to smash everything in my flat, and when my parents kicked me out, I continued to run through the park and scream and curse. Why? I don't know, but those filthy, cruel, ruthless kids and their nasty teacher disturbed me very much indeed. I even wrote a song in which I kill children and rape teachers. And that hint that the kids maybe became sexually intimate with the teacher also made me mad. I am discussing it with my therapist at this moment and it is very interesting story. I am 41 now, and I don't have any kids. I kinda have a problem with it. Consider it before you let your kids watch it.

It would be very easy to pick "Fortress" apart by challenging everything that is not dripping with logic. If you do that however, you will be distracted from a highly entertaining movie. The film is atypical, and difficult to classify. Part kidnapping gone wrong, part hunted in the wild, part revenge flick, "Fortress" is the sum of all these. Rachel Ward bravely adapts to the situation and rallies the children in their quest to survive. Featuring not one, but two separate caves, an escape swim through an underground stream, along with some savage retributions against the masked tormentors, "Fortress" delivers enough entertainment that the plot holes are best forgiven. - MERK

Just to let you know the writer of Fortress (the man who gave us plot holes) is working with Asher Keddie (Sue) on a new project.http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=123752I guess those Aussies really stick together.Writer — Everett Deroche Everett is an established writer with a long list of credits to his name for both television and feature films over 25 years. His work crosses an eclectic mix of writing credits including Australian classics such as The Sullivans, Truckies, Police Rescue, The Flying Doctors, The Man from Snowy River and Stingers to award-winning feature films including Razorback, Link and Visitors. He is currently developing the feature film Eureka Stockade and is the script manager for Film Victoria, which is where he heard about the making of Two Twisted.

Schoolteacher and class of rural bumpkins get kidnapped by cartoonish bunch of thugs, brought to the forest, try to escape, get caught, repeat, until they finally bond as a group and give the kidnappers a taste of their own medicine.My, the savage nature of the human animal! Sweet little children acting so viciously! Give me a break.The movie is corny, the children are annoying, the soundtrack is silly, and all that without taking into account the embarrassingly corny, "Yeah, group!" type moments. The only interesting part was the ending, but considering its ineffective buildup it didn't carry much emotional weight.If you are intent on seeing a portrayal man-as-beast, go for "Lord of the Rings" instead and let this one gather dust.