Three awful horror movies received wide releases in the first three months of 2008: One Missed Call, The Eye, and Shutter. Each one managed a double-digit opening weekend despite bad buzz, weak trailers and TV spots, and no screenings for critics.
In April, Rogue was quietly shown in 10 theaters before hitting DVD. It should come as no surprise that it is vastly superior to the three aforementioned titles. Such is the state of modern horror.
Rogue, written and directed by Wolf Creek's Greg Mclean, is nothing groundbreaking. It is a fairly formulaic monster movie. However, it is an extremely well-made and entertaining one.
The beginning, much like the ending, is a little awkward, as if Mclean never quite figured out the best way to open and close his film.
Pete (Michael Vartan), an American travel writer in Australia, wanders into a rundown bar in the middle of nowhere. He is looking for a boat tour, even though later on he claims to only write about resorts and restaurants. There are neither where he is.
The tour, led by a local woman named Kate (Radha Mitchell), takes a dramatic turn for the worse when it stumbles upon the territory of a very angry and large crocodile. The enormous croc manages to destroy the tour boat, leaving the passengers stranded.
The rest of Rogue is a struggle for survival against the hungry beast.
While the writing is average at best and the acting nothing extraordinary, Rogue more than makes up for its shortcomings with stunning scenery, a fast pace and genuine suspense.
The CGI crocodile is extremely convincing, especially in nighttime scenes. The sudden attacks are thrilling, though one can't help but wish there were more of them. There are far more survivors than one would initially think.
Though the finale is a bit of a letdown, this crocodile makes a lasting impression, unlike the one in Primeval. It stays hidden long enough so that when it is finally unleashed, a sufficient amount of tension has been built.
Far from perfect, Rogue is a good example of a filmmaker putting their own spin on a familiar premise. Mclean takes full advantage of the beautiful locations and crafts a high-quality genre tale. He is a director to watch.
While it plays great on the small screen and should please any horror fan looking for a decent creature feature, it is still disappointing that this worthy effort did not receive a proper theatrical release.
