'Packed to the Rafters' star Ryan Corr actor stars in the sequel to Greg McLean's iconic Australian horror flick.
Just when it seemed safe to venture into the outback (or as safe as venturing into a expanse of remote desert teaming with poisonous insects and snakes can ever be), Mick Taylor has returned. The serial killer and part-time pig farmer of Greg McLean's hit 2005 film, “Wolf Creek” is back in a much anticipated sequel, striking fear into the hearts of foreign backpackers and foolhardy outback explorers everywhere.
Starring John Jarratt as the psychopathic bushman who captures and murders young adventure-seekers in the Australian wilderness, 'Wolf Creek 2' may feature a fresh batch of unsuspecting travellers but Mick's torture methods are as sadistic as ever.
A $13.2 million budget and input from award-winning cinematographer, Toby Oliver take McLean's nail-biting car chases and the gruesome murder scenes to new levels of suspense. Expect police officers, an elderly couple and even a few kangaroos to find their way into the body count.
'Wolf Creek 2' also reunites many of the original film's crew and production members alongside new faces, Shannon Ashlyn and Phillipe Klaus as far-too-happy-to-stay-alive-past-the-first-half-hour German couple, Katarina and Rutger. But it's Ryan Corr's performance as Paul Hammersmith, the British tourist who unwittingly becomes Taylor's plaything when stepping in to protect Katarina, that ignites 'Wolf Creek 2'.
Tension between Mick and the “stinking Pom” reaches its climax in the final scene as Paul is challenged to an Australian history pop quiz. Mick's penalty for a wrong answer is characteristically gory – let's just say it involves fingers and an electric saw.
After finding fame as Coby Jennings in Seven Network drama 'Packed to the Rafters' and starring in children's television series 'The Sleepover Club', 'Wolf Creek 2' is a far cry from Corr's previous acting roles.
“I try to do things in my work that interest me and keep me excited and give me new experiences. In a piece like 'Wolf Creek 2', its important to not be regimented in the way that you deliver because a lot of it is about reacting, it's certainly not a character piece as it is a pursuit film. For me, a lot of acting is communicating with other actors so it was a different project in a sense.”
While 'Wolf Creek' went on to become the highest grossing R-Rated Australian film on record, it received criticism for its graphic portrayal of torture, especially towards female characters. 'Wolf Creek 2' offers little reprieve but Corr feels that violence has its place in contemporary cinema.
“I don't agree in the promotion of violence or making it a heroic thing in any way, ultimately what this story is about is showing a nightmarish situation. For me as an actor, it's my job to come in and create that. It might not be the film I'd choose to go to first but its different when you're on the other side of the camera.”
While McLean's film attracted its fair share of gore fans, it was Jarrett's despicable yet darkly comic Mick Taylor that captured viewers' imaginations. Part Freddy Kruger, part Crocodile Dundee, Jarratt transformed himself from 'Better Homes and Gardens' host into the fearsome murderer by spending weeks living alone in the Australian outback and thinking up a detailed back story for Mick.
“I was very interested in John's use of method acting. He explained to me that while he was discovering who Mick was in the first film, that process was really important for him. I hear he didn't even shower! There are some scenes that you really need to employ that sort of work. Sometimes, I'd play thrash metal music and shake my head around and get myself really dizzy just so I could be in that state before filming started.”
Despite their onscreen friction, Corr maintains that he and Jarratt, who recently made a cameo appearance in Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained', became firm friends. “I found John fantastic, we bonded over that film and had a good old time in the mornings waking up at 4.30 and giving each other a bit of stick in the make up trailer. There was a real mutual respect which is wonderful when you're on any job and I was really happy to work with him.”
'Wolf Creek 2' is in cinemas from February 20.
