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Acolytes
DVD/APPROX. 91 MINS/2008/AUSTRALIA MA15+
DVD/APPROX. 91 MINS/2008/AUSTRALIA MA15+
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Jon Hewitt’s Acolytes is one of those films that doesn’t make too much sense at the beginning, but further towards the end you can feel the true
potential as the director and the writers try to create one outstanding chilling/thriller film. With a twisted ending that many viewers wont see
coming and random scare scenes that are enough to jump start anyone’s heart, this film definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat.
The beginning did have me scratching my head a little as the storyline didn’t seem to make much sense. Why were Mark (Sebastian Gregory -
Neighbours, Beautiful), James (Joshua Payne) and his girlfriend Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawrence - Sexy Thing, Lucky Country) constantly
provoking an ex-con named Gary Parker (Michael Dorman - Suburban Mayhem, Katoomba) driving past his house as it was being raided by the
police. As the story unfolds you find out though that Gary had raped Mark and James several times in their adolescent years on their way home
from school. When both boys confront their attacker, he simply turns and says “Because I could…” then grins like what he had done to the boys
was nothing. This is when both boys decide to seek revenge on Gary by blackmailing a killer named Ian Wright (Joel Edgerton - Crossbow, Star
Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) who was caught burying a young girl's body deep in the forest by Mark, to do their dirty work, murdering
Gary less they go to the authorities.
Madman Entertainment and Palace films have released one of the most powerful Australian psychological thrillers of 2009. With an unpredictable
storyline, cleverly written twists and turns and the film's beautiful cinematography enough to keep any viewer planted firmly on the couch.
Screenwriters S.P. Krause, Shayne Armstrong, and Jon Hewitt all definitely know what a viewer wants in a film by delivering an unbelievable,
chilling and solid mystery screenplay.
The performances of all cast member were simply superb to watch. Especially actors Joel Edgerton and Michael Dorman who both nailed their
characters murderous/revenge rampages with perfection. With Edgerton going to the extreme to personally change his own appearance to suit his
character's agenda and Dorman for the first time played a pigheaded child rapist ex-con. Teenage actors Sebastian Gregory, Joshua Payne and the
adorable Hanna Mangan Lawrence all put the icing on the cake with their roles. In a lot of films, when teenage actors take on the role of a
character they sometimes come across fake, unrealistic and boring on screen. This is definitely not the case with these three up and coming
Australian actors as every word and action was believable. Many times I felt myself drawn into the movie, as if I was actually a part of the film.
I wouldn’t go as far to say that Acolytes is a horror film, that would be a total lie. There isn’t really anything scary about this film, its more along
the lines of a psychological thriller with a mystery crime theme built into it. Jon Hewitt ‘s Acolytes is a film that keeps you entertained and
constantly guessing in what direction the film's plot is heading as soon as you slip the disc into your DVD player.
potential as the director and the writers try to create one outstanding chilling/thriller film. With a twisted ending that many viewers wont see
coming and random scare scenes that are enough to jump start anyone’s heart, this film definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat.
The beginning did have me scratching my head a little as the storyline didn’t seem to make much sense. Why were Mark (Sebastian Gregory -
Neighbours, Beautiful), James (Joshua Payne) and his girlfriend Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawrence - Sexy Thing, Lucky Country) constantly
provoking an ex-con named Gary Parker (Michael Dorman - Suburban Mayhem, Katoomba) driving past his house as it was being raided by the
police. As the story unfolds you find out though that Gary had raped Mark and James several times in their adolescent years on their way home
from school. When both boys confront their attacker, he simply turns and says “Because I could…” then grins like what he had done to the boys
was nothing. This is when both boys decide to seek revenge on Gary by blackmailing a killer named Ian Wright (Joel Edgerton - Crossbow, Star
Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) who was caught burying a young girl's body deep in the forest by Mark, to do their dirty work, murdering
Gary less they go to the authorities.
Madman Entertainment and Palace films have released one of the most powerful Australian psychological thrillers of 2009. With an unpredictable
storyline, cleverly written twists and turns and the film's beautiful cinematography enough to keep any viewer planted firmly on the couch.
Screenwriters S.P. Krause, Shayne Armstrong, and Jon Hewitt all definitely know what a viewer wants in a film by delivering an unbelievable,
chilling and solid mystery screenplay.
The performances of all cast member were simply superb to watch. Especially actors Joel Edgerton and Michael Dorman who both nailed their
characters murderous/revenge rampages with perfection. With Edgerton going to the extreme to personally change his own appearance to suit his
character's agenda and Dorman for the first time played a pigheaded child rapist ex-con. Teenage actors Sebastian Gregory, Joshua Payne and the
adorable Hanna Mangan Lawrence all put the icing on the cake with their roles. In a lot of films, when teenage actors take on the role of a
character they sometimes come across fake, unrealistic and boring on screen. This is definitely not the case with these three up and coming
Australian actors as every word and action was believable. Many times I felt myself drawn into the movie, as if I was actually a part of the film.
I wouldn’t go as far to say that Acolytes is a horror film, that would be a total lie. There isn’t really anything scary about this film, its more along
the lines of a psychological thriller with a mystery crime theme built into it. Jon Hewitt ‘s Acolytes is a film that keeps you entertained and
constantly guessing in what direction the film's plot is heading as soon as you slip the disc into your DVD player.
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