Recovering from a recent injury in the line of duty and caring for a pregnant wife that’s ready to burst, Officer Shane Cooper (Ryan Kwanten) is in dire need of a change of scenery so he transfers from the hustle and bustle of Australian city life to the serene and slow paced outback town of Red Hill where cowboys are alive and well and so is their brand of justice which is a culture shock for Shane but he needs to learn quickly because no sooner has he just checked in when one of the most feared prison inmates, Jimmy Conway (Tom E. Lewis), escapes and is gunning for all of the men that put him behind bars.
After putting off Red Hill for months, I find myself harshly regretful that I did. This movie is a lot of fun with the attitude of the town Red Hill being one of the stars. You watch a town that looks like it never grew out of the old west, so essentially you are getting a western, revenge flick; yet, Tom E. Lewis’ portrayal of Jimmy Conway is larger than life – the Grim Reaper on a whiskey and amphetamines bender lugging a full arsenal. The movie is shot in the vein of a slasher film with guns. He was incredibly spooky, playing greatly off of Ryan Kwanten’s young, unencumbered Boy Scout Shane.
Not all of the kills are gun related. We get to see a bevy of Australian weapons put to good use, including spears and a boomerang, but every kill matters and you feel just how personal this ravenous undertaking is for Conway.
Red Hill is welcomed on my screen any time. It’s a fine accomplishment by writer/director Patrick Hughes as this movie is his first full-length feature. I look forward to more of his work, and you enjoy revenge films, westerns, slasher flicks, or just some good old fashioned grit in your flick, Red Hill is what you need.
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