Customer Reviews

Dying Breed

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I always laugh when a horror movie begins and ends with facts to read. Even if the filmmakers are alluding to actual events, do they honestly expect that the plot itself is deserving of a history lesson? At the start of "Dying Breed," we learn about Alexander Pearce, an Irish convict who in 1822 escaped from a penal colony on the Australian island of Tasmania; in 1824, he was caught, tried, and hanged for murder and cannibalism. In the film, he's given the nickname The Pieman, although we now know that this is actually a reference to pastry chef Thomas Kent, another Tasmanian inmate who also escaped imprisonment in 1822. I can understand why writers Michael Boughen, Jody Dwyer, and Rod Morris gave that name to Pearce--students of "Sweeney Todd" know that cannibalism is a lot more fun when it's coupled with the skill and artistry of a baker.

This movie also tells us about the Tasmanian Tiger, a carnivorous marsupial that was once common throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea. As of today, some believe early European settlers hunted this animal to extinction, the last one dying in captivity in 1936. Others believe that a select few survived and continue to exist in isolated groups within the bushland of Tasmania. Sightings have been reported, although there's no actual proof of anything. There is, however, the ominous fact that many hikers have gone into Tasmania, never to be seen or heard from again.

What exactly do these two bits of information have to do with one another? "Dying Breed" attempts to make a connection, although it's weak, probably because there's no chemistry between them. Yes, there is that fact that both are part of the fabric of Australian legend. And then there's one of the film's most crucial subplots, in which the creepy townsfolk of an isolated Tasmanian village show just how far they will go to keep certain traditions alive; the obvious symbolism is that the townsfolk are struggling to survive, just like the Tiger. But that doesn't amount to very much in the grand scheme of things. Ultimately, two very different ideas are at work in just one story, and that's bad because they don't really belong together.

The plot focuses on an Irish zoologist named Nina (Mirrah Foulkes). She has now made it her mission to find a Tasmanian Tiger, which she believes still exists. The proof is in a photo of a paw print taken by her sister, who was also in search of a Tiger before dying mysteriously eight years ago. Nina's superiors refuse to fund a new expedition, so she has to rely on her Australian boyfriend, Matt (Leigh Whannell), who relies on an old friend named Jack (Nathan Phillips). Once Nina and Matt arrive in Tasmania, they travel with Jack and his girlfriend, Rebecca (Melanie Vallejo), into the frighteningly isolated village of Sarah, where it's always gray and rainy and the locals all have a distrustful, psychotic glint in their eyes.

The first three-quarters of this film could have worked as a character study, but alas, everyone is so broadly drawn that they come dangerously close to turning into cardboard. Nina, for example, is no more nor less than what the screenplay requires her to be at any given moment; when she doesn't need to be persistent, then she's curious, and when she's not curious, she's scared, and when she's not scared, she's lost somewhere between driven and confused. In other words, I didn't really know who she was. Matt, on the other hand, is so passive and even-tempered that he's just shy of completely boring. Rebecca is just an extra character, serving no real purpose other than being a companion for Jack. And as for Jack, he's probably the most developed character, which is annoying since (a) he isn't the main character, and (b) he's unlikable. He seems to lack the ability to keep his mouth shut when it's most necessary, creating tension between him and Nina, which in turn creates tension between Nina and Matt.

The horror element is there, but it's not much of a saving grace since so many of the clichés I grew tired of a long time ago are still being used. Only in this kind of film would anyone even consider exploring a shack located miles from anywhere. And not run when they discover that it's a House of Horrors. And actually investigate a stove when it appears that the contents of an abandoned pot are about to boil over. The only thing that prevented this story from bottoming out: A lack of sex-crazed teens stupidly wandering off alone while calling, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Still, clichés are better than back-stories that don't make a whole lot of sense. I watched the Tasmanian townsfolk in various scenes, and I got that they were driven to keep to tradition, but somehow, I couldn't make sense of the tradition itself, which involves both feeding and breeding. What exactly is director Jody Dwyer trying to tell us here? That one deadly species has gone extinct, only to be replaced by another deadly species? If that's the case, then why even bother bringing up the Tasmanian Tiger? Why not focus on just the townsfolk? I would have liked "Dying Breed" a lot more had it known which story it wanted to tell. The Pieman or the Tiger--make up your mind. I'd go for The Pieman, because God knows that, in a horror movie, watching someone eat a meat pie is better than reading the history of an elusive animal.

the After Dark Movies, have an ability to be either Terrible, or Amazing. This movie, Sucks. After Reading some reviews, and reading the plot, i thought i would love this movie, Boy, was i surprised. This is second On the list for worst for me. The worst is Dark Ride. dont even get me Started! This movie could have been so much better, if they had of spent a little more time working on it. The acting was terrible, All of the Characters, were Extremely Unlikable. usually, Good or Bad, there are likable characters in every film, but not in this one. I hated the Characters, and people who played them. It's ashame that they wasted a film, that could have been really great.All the plot talks about, is Finding an extict tiger, but the movie doesn't even follow that Plot, I Mean, it mentions the tiger a couple times, but that is it. Awful Movie, dont waste your time, or money.

This review is for Dying Breed NOT the entire horrorfest as i've seen below...Dying Breed was very creepy and very gory! Picture Deliverance but with blood thirsty psycho cannibals! Nathan Phillips of Wolf Creek and the Main Girl were both very good. They set out on a trip where the main Girl's Sister had previously died searching for an animal thought to be extinct...Things go very bad from there. The whole scenery was excellent and rain and such made this more scary in my opinion. Hunted and terrified they try to get back to civilization but at there every turn...Will they make it? I thought this was well made not as a horrorfest film but in general. This is a creepy thriller! Thanks for reading :)

I don't know about the others, but to me, this movie sucks! Not only is it not very original, but also the ending is
ridiculous. Having said that, I liked the idea of the Tasmanian tiger, and that was what attracted me in the first place. This could have been more developed, and maybe they could have made something much better here. Well, some gore hounds will like it anyway, because that's all there is to it.I'm really sorry. Imagination is scarce in the movie making these days.

Standard horror movies: everything's great, something spooky happens, something spookier happens, someone gets raped, murdered, mutilated, eaten, bludgeoned, cut apart, and oh my 5 more people to go! Did I miss the inbreeding? So sorry. Alexander "The Pieman" existed and so did the Tasmanian Tiger. I liked the fact that they stuck those two historical facts together although the main cannibal guy picking everyone off wasn't as great as I'd thought he'd be, I was hoping he'd pull out a banjo at some point and wow us with a jig at one point or another. The kid was creepy as well as the town cast (the main cast was good as well) and I found another movie that I can add to my collection of movies that will keep me from camping forever. If you're looking for an all out gore slasher where the only plot line is body parts everywhere with some guy running around trying to wear someones face, this isn't it. But if you like movies where you walk away still knowing why some things/people/places are better left alone, this is a good choice.

It wouldn't be a proper After Dark Horrorfest lineup without some kind of backwood hillbilly cannibal flick, and that's what we get with Dying Breed. Taking place in the Tasmanian woods, Dying Breed follows a group of people (including Saw writer/co-creator/star Leigh Whannell and Wolf Creek's Nathan Phillips) who end up running afoul of the area's locales, learning some the area's dark history, and eventually wind up as dinner. Yeah, Dying Breed offers nothing new in the least, but it does use factual elements in its effort to craft the story, even if it isn't done particularly well. What really hurts Dying Breed however is that the cast is so wooden, and the film is pretty slow moving before the blood and gore (which is the reason why we're here to begin with) really kicks into gear, and even when it does, it isn't all that impressive, especially with some bad CGI effects. Still, there are worse options instead of Dying Breed in this year's After Dark Horrorfest, so we might as well count our blessings.

"Dying Breed" was one of the better films of the 8 Films To Die For this year.
The only slasher in the woods installment"I love a good maniac loose in the woods film".My favorite sub Genre,The effects were great to lacking especially the Blatant and SO fake GGI axe to the face, the blood looked cartoon like.I don't understand why they chose to go that route when they had other gore effects that were so authentic and cool.You will know exactly what I'm talking about when you see it.I love that the Dude from Saw that played Adam"Leigh Whannel" was in this film as well as the last guy standing from Wolf Creek "Nathan Phillips.
The story was interesting enough and it has enough punch to keep a horror/slasher fan interested and entertained.Just when you think it's over "Viola" power punch surprise ending.It was very Timber Falls meets Wrong Turn but not as solid as either but I watched it twice so I must have enjoyed it.Three and a half stars..

Dying Breed turned out to be another strong point in this years After Dark Horrorfest Collection. While the story came across a little vague and confusing at times, every other aspect of the film was wonderfully pieced together. Thorough character development for a group of well portrayed and varied personalities helped keep you interested in the groups fate. I've seen several survival films set in the wilderness before and I'd classify this as one of the best I've seen. The scenery is beautiful and gritty which helps build an ominous atmosphere (and eventually turns into a bloody mess). The gore is wonderfully graphic and severe. My interest was captured early on and never let loose. This one was a blast to watch and comes recommended.

This is basically a concept redone before - group of people go to isolated town of inbred cannibals. Add to this the need to 'breed' with some of the incomers in case the bloodline is too intermixed and we still don't get anything new. It was done recently in The Hills Have Eyes 2

The only differences here are the setting (in Tasmania) and the suggestion that an eight year old inbred girl is 'in heat' and is making herself available to be bred with. Fortunately (?) she's just interested in the end in feasting on human flesh

It led you to believe it was going to be a monster movie but it was really just a bunch of rednecks killing in the woods. Not bad but doesnt add anything original to the genre either.