BLACKWATER TRAIL
Australia, 1996, 97 minutes, Colour.
Judd Nelson, Dee Smart, Mark Lee, Peter Phelps, Rowena Wallace, Brett Climo.
Directed by Ian Barry.
Blackwater Trail is a murder mystery set in Queensland. It is quite routine – but enjoyable in its way. The film focuses on a serial killer who uses Scripture quotations to justify his murders. He also uses Scripture quotations to form a trail which he invites detectives to follow so that he can trap them.
Judd Nelson portrays a writer who comes back from Los Angeles for the funeral of his close friend who allegedly committed suicide. However, his sister (Dee Smart) thinks he was murdered. In the town, as potential suspects, are the local priest, Father Michael (Brett Climo), the local bullying constable (Mark Lee) and the heroine’s meek and mild hospital surgeon (Peter Phelps).
The film uses its locations well, sets up the tension for the murder mystery and its solution. For the sake of the future happiness of the central couple, audience might guess who the murderer is.
1.Entertaining murder mystery? Telemovie?
2.Australian settings, Queensland, the small town, the city, the mountains and countryside? The old buildings, the reservoir, the factories? Authentic feel? Musical score?
3.The title, the focus on the clues given by the murderer, the Scripture quotations, the various places that it led to, reservoir, old plants, the church?
4.The plausibility of the plot, the serial killer, his psychology and character, the ability to do the murders?
5.The focus on Matt, his arriving back from America, arriving at the funeral, memories of the past? With Cathy, his leaving her to write his book? With Andy, and the memories of friendship but growing apart? The clashes with Chris? Friendship with Sandra? Meeting again with Beth? The funeral, the aftermath?
6.Cathy, her love for her brother, devotion to her mother? Her saying that her brother was murdered? Her committing herself to Frank, the tension between them, his bossing her about? Her pursuing the case, investigating the clues, getting Matt’s help? Going to the different locations, following the Scripture texts, by the river, finding dismembered pieces of the victims? Going to the church? The pursuit by Chris and Davies? Her lies to her husband? Matt and his being in prison, her doing a deal about the evidence against the alleged murderer? Chris letting Matt go? The finale, getting the information, discovering her husband was the killer? The confrontation in the plant? His death? Her going to America with Matt?
7.Frank, bespectacled and quiet? Doctor? With his wife, his putting the pressure on her, the dinner at the country club, the tense conversations, her lying to him? The revelation that he was the killer, the final confrontation, his death?
8.Chris, bully, imprisoning the rapist as a murderer, the discovery that he planted the evidence? Davies as his assistant? The pressure on Cathy? The tension with his wife, the fact that the child may not have been his? His pursuit of Matt, the final confrontation, his being shot? Davies, eager with the trigger, assisting Chris?
9.Father Michael, the funeral, the talking with Matt and Cathy, at the hospital? A possible suspect?
10.The garage assistant, his antagonism towards Matt? Pursuing him? Trapping him – and Matt escaping in the car?
11.The heroics, the action sequences? The blend of action with the murder mystery and investigation?
