The Locals (2003)

Awesome Movie

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Some scenes they are living dead , some scenes not. Whats going on here. This movie had some twists but they were more equivalent to twisted ankles.I did not get this plot. Gorgeous girls that were already dead yet supposedly scared out of their wits. How can that be? If you are dead , how can it actually get worse? Well I will tell you how it can get worse. Watching one of the Worst movies of all time. The acting was not bad. I mean that.Still it was such a dumb plot that I can not possibly give this movie more than one out of a 10. The film truly was boring. Not even much in the way of gore. If you truly want to see a great Australian/New Zealand horror flick, check out Wolf Creek.

Stop me if you haven't heard this one before. Amiable twentysomething best buds Grant (the engaging John Barker) and Paul (the equally personable Dwayne Cameron) go on a cross country weekend drive down to the beach. The pair decide to take an ill-advised short cut by using an off-the-beaten path dusty dirt road. Naturally they experience car trouble. And of course they run afoul of a sinister bunch of lethal murderous backwoods hicks. So far, so familiar and by-the-numbers predictable. Thankfully, writer/director Greg Page masterfully pulls one doozy of a novel, startling and unexpected supernatural twist on this generic fright film scenario which in turn gives the movie a substantial lift out of your run-of-the-mill formula horror fare. To reveal more would spoil the tasty surprises to be found within this genuinely fresh, crafty and inspired little sleeper. The picture further benefits from the truly likable and well-developed main characters, Bret Nichols' gorgeously lush, polished cinematography, the beautiful, yet lonely, remote and forbidding sylvan scenery, Victoria Kelly's classy, moody score, the lively and enthusiastic acting from a charming and attractive cast, a funky thrashin' rock soundtrack, a steady pace, an eerie and mysterious tone which becomes more creepy and nightmarish as the film progresses, and even a very potent and moving element of striking poignancy. A really fine and impressive debut feature.

Not many Americans like films from outside the States, but THE LOCALS is one worth looking all over for. Sure its low budget but the story line is brilliant and will leave you guessing up into the very end. THE LOCALS is in a way like LOST if you miss a beat you will go into a tailspin. Greg Page does not say the full story at once but it is up to the viewer to make the connections before the end, if you succeed, congratulations, if not by the end you will. I found THE LOCALS to be more of a thriller rather then horror, I did not fear for my life or hide under a bed but it kept me on my toes. I did get connected with the characters, and felt badly for them, wanting them to get out of the Zone before something bad happened. I will be hunting night and day for Greg Page's next movie, and as a filmmaker he has given me new outlook on how to make a brilliant low budget movie sill fascinating,

I couldn't even get through the first half of this movie. I love watching good b-horrors, almost as much as I love watching bad b-horrors for the laughs. This movie fell into neither category, as it was boring as hell and badly done, but not "funny" bad. Just bad.This movie pulled out all the stops. The "road trip adventure". The "car that breaks down". The "cell phone that won't get any reception". The "crazy goings-on with the backwoods folk". That's about when I shut off the TV.The two main characters in the film are supposed to be best friends, they pal around and make jokes at eachtother, etc, but it seems very unnatural and like they just met that morning.It seems as though the only people who enjoyed this film are patriotic Kiwis.