Acolytes

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Three teenagers find their longtime friendship crumbling after enlisting the aid of a ruthless serial killer in ridding themselves of a relentless bully in this dark thriller from Redball director Jon Hewitt. High school has been a living hell for shy teens Mark (Sebastian Gregory and James (Joshua Payne); classroom bully Gary Parker has made it his life mission to ensure that their suffering doesn't end until graduation day, and it's obvious he relishes his work. Now that graduation day is drawing near, Mark and James begin making plans to strike back at Gary with a vengeance. Then, shortly after the disappearance of a female classmate, Mark discovers a fresh grave in the woods near his quiet suburban neighborhood, and witnesses an SUV speeding away from the scene. Returning to the site later that day with James and his girlfriend Chasely (Hanna Mangan-Lawrence), Mark decides to grab a shovel and go to work. No one expected to find anything more incriminating than a dead family pet, so when the earth splits open to reveal the corpse of a Canadian backpacker, the trio makes it their mission to track down the killer and blackmail him into exacting violent revenge on their old nemesis Gary. But this is one killer who doesn't play by the rules, and by the time he turns the tables on Mark, Gary, and Chasely, the three teens realize that their only hope for escape is to confront their darkest fears head on. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 (Alternate Wide Screen)
• Features:
  • Commentary by director Jon Hewitt and key creatives
  • Alternate endings 1&2
  • Deleted scenes
  • Trailer

AWARDS

• Melbourne International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• Toronto International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Joel Edgerton - Ian Wright
       Sebastian Gregory - Mark
       Hanna Mangan - Lawrence - Chasely
       Joshua Payne - James
       Belinda McClory - Kay Wright
       Michael Dorman - Gary Parker

• Director:

  Jon Hewitt

• Producer:

  Richard Stewart, Penny Wall

• Screenwriter:

  Jon Hewitt, S.P. Krause, Shayne Armstrong

• Cinematographer:

  Mark Pugh

• Composer (Music Score):

  David Franzke

• Editor:

  Simon Martin

• Production Designer:

  Michelle Sotheren

• Executive Producer:

  Gary Hamilton, Grant Bradley, Ian Gibbons

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Robert Sullivan, Kearon De Clouet

REVIEW:

• New Wave French horror meets stylized Australian exploitation in Acolytes, an unpredictable and effective thriller elevated by some exceptional cinematography and a clever script. Tantalizingly deliberate and unapologetically grim, it begins like a typical teen serial killer flick, and gradually morphs into something far more insidious.
  
  Take three disaffected teens, a volatile bully, and a serial killer, throw them together in the Australian suburbs, and something nasty is bound to happen. James (Joshua Payne), Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawrence), and Mark (Sebastian Gregory) are your typical bored teenagers. They've got an ongoing feud with heavily tattooed hooligan Gary (Michael Dorman), and that already-strained relationship takes a particularly ominous turn when the three teens discover the identity of a local serial killer and attempt to blackmail him into killing their tormentor. But Ian (Joel Edgerton) isn't the kind of killer you want to mess with -- even if you think you've got the upper hand -- and before long, their little game has taken on a malevolent life of its own.
  
  From the gorgeous opening shot of a girl silhouetted in sunlight, it's obvious that there's some real talent working behind the scenes here. Fortunately for thriller fans, that talent extends beyond cinematographer Mark Pugh to include screenwriters Shayne Armstrong and Shane Krause, as well. Armstrong and Krause know the tropes of the genre inside and out, which allows them to effortlessly invert them and create something truly unique. While at times this has the effect of making the film seem somewhat convoluted, Acolytes requires a certain amount of patience and trust on behalf of the viewer. Those willing to put their faith in the filmmakers are rewarded with a vicious little story that skillfully skirts the line between thriller and horror. Clever editing and a chilling performance by Edgerton (looking like the clammy-skinned love child of Bryan Cranston and Jeffrey Dahmer) help to maintain some dark momentum during the occasional lull, making Acolytes the kind of deeply sinister, blackly cynical indie thriller that gingerly works its way under your skin while creeping toward a deliciously desolate climax. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi