RED BILLABONG

Australia, 2016, 113 minutes, Colour.
Dan Ewing, Tim Pocock, Jessica Green, Sophie Don, Ben Chisholm, Gregory J.Fryer.
Directed by Luke Sparke.

With billabong in the title, audiences will know that this is an Australian film and wonder about the red billabong, suggestions of blood.

It is worth saying at the outset that many aspects of the film will seem quite absurd to the ordinary viewer. This means it is also worth saying that the target audience for this film is those who like to go to horror fests or movie monster fests. It is there kind of film and the ending, the confrontation with the monster, is clearly designed to get this kind of audience both cheering and laughing. Which rather precludes most other audiences.

Apart from the prologue where the audience is introduced to the monster, The Bunyip, and the death of a significant character, the screenplay is ordinary enough, one brother managing a farm, but also dealing in drugs locally, and the other coming from the city, asked for advice, especially as their grandfather had left a letter before his sudden death asking that the land be left to the local aborigines or for consideration of the sale.

Then a group of rather unappealing thirtysomethings all turned up, a drug dealer who is full of himself, his associate whom he dominates, and three women who trail along. A meal, they get high, while the serious older brother is examining documents and getting suspicious about the sale of the land.

There is an estate agent with an American accent who is eager to have the land minute with all that is found to be on the property with documents indicating the grandfather was a scientist, researching aboriginal law and especially, The Bunyip, which the men's father (who returns) and the agent are wanting to exploit.

One of the visiting girls go swimming in the billabong and is taken possession of by The Bunyip, and this happens to another of the girls. An aboriginal leader turns up with advice and indicates that the Bunyip needs three women under control and that this situation needs to be prevented. The rest of the film is The Bunyip, the search, the women and the dangers, deaths.

As indicated, this is a film for those who like monster movies – it would not be credible to any other audience.

1. The title, the Australian language? The billabong itself, the prologue, the man with the gun, the threats, the deed and throwing it away? The shots?

2. The countryside, the home and the farm, swimming pool, the caves? The musical score?

3. The film as a melodrama – and then emerging as a monster movie? The horror touches?

4. The film beginning a straightforward drama, becoming more melodramatic, mysterious, heightened atmosphere, the seeming absurd, the finale?

5. The target audience, those attending horror festivals, movie monster festivals, other audiences?

6. The situation with the two brothers, the younger brother managing at home, get drugs? The older brother, his leaving, coming home? Their mother, the disappearance of their father and his seeming to financially support them? The grandfather’s will, leaving the land to the aborigines selling it to developers? The younger brother and his decisions? The advice of the older brother?

7. The issue of aborigines, land, belonging to the land, the arrival of the aboriginal elder, his comments and advice? The other tribes people?

8. The arrival of the drug dealer, his friend, the women in tow? Thirtysomethings, flirtatious, drugs and drinking, promiscuity? Tristram and his involvement with the girl? Nick and his seeing his former girlfriend and his abandoning her and leaving? The scenes of the group together, the meals, the flirting? The dominant attitude of the drug dealer?

9. Nick, examining the documents, suspicious? His going to see the agent, their discussions? Tristram and his wanting to sell, Nick becoming more suspicious, urging him to wait? Nick returning later with Kate, in court?

10. The girl going for the swim, the drug dealer leaving her, the encounter with the monster, the Bunyip? Taking possession of her? The shift to supernatural themes?

11. The group going to search for her, Grace and her being taken in the water, supernatural possession? The men leaving? Jason and his death? The dealer and Tristram?

12. Kate, with Nick, not believing him? Coming across the truth, trying to warn people?

13. The agent, in control, the return of the Father, his threats and violence? The three women required to be possessed at the same time, the pressure on Kate?

14. The aboriginal leader, his advice, with Nick? The confrontation with The Bunyip? Saving Kate? The other girls returning to normal?

15. The dealer, Tristram, the pursuit, deaths? The confrontation with the agent, his been the mastermind, his death?

16. The fight with The Bunyip the giant monster, the touches of the absurd, at the touches of aboriginal mythologies?

17. Defeating the Bunyip, those saved, the saving of the farm?