Review: Dying Breed (2009)

Here's an interesting on from the After Dark Horrorfest... It's one of those survival movies, but set in Tasmania...

Sub-Genre- Survival
Cast Members of Note- Leigh Whannell (The creator of Saw), Mirrah Foulkes (Hot), Nathan Phillips (The guy from Wolf Creek), and Melanie Vallejo (Hot.)

This movie is Tasmania's version of Wrong Turn, and it's also proof that inbred cannibal families do indeed inhabit about 85% of the Earth. A group of dumb 20-somethings head into the deep brush looking for dogs, and instead find rape, incest, inbreeding, torture, cannibalism, and lots of ceramic cats.

"What's with all the ceramic cats mate?"

When the "kids" stop in over at the local Tasmanian tavern to 'ave a beer, the sweaty old locals take an instant shine to them; they display this by keying their car, pulling out their false teeth, rubbing creepily on the women, and all joining in a stirring rendition of their local song "The Rape Dance." Even after all of this, the kids decide to remain in Creepyville and spend the night, only to wake to witness a woman crushing puppy skulls with a wooden mallet. Honestly.

Yes, that's puppy blood. What is wrong with people?

After leaving Creepyville, the travelers soon wish they were back amongst the retarded molesters, as one by one they become victims of Grizzly Adams (a.k.a. The Pieman) gone cannibal. The Blue Mystic Power Ranger chick gets it the worst, but you know that the hot & wild ones always go the hardest. I won't say anymore here, so as not to spoil anything, but suffice it to say that I will never go to Tasmania. Ever.

Aww, It's cute that she's trying to escape.

This movie is loosely based on the legend of Alexander Pearce; an escaped convict and cannibal that roamed the Tasmanian coast eating the flesh of his friends. Here it's spun into a tale of inbred ancestry, which works on most levels. Many of the visuals in this movie are quite striking, and the setting is perfect for this kind of film. Dying Breed does a good job of holding our attention and maintaining tension throughout, though from time to time the stupid actions of the characters did make me wish death on some of them.

I didn't wish death on him though.

I really like Leigh Whannell as an actor. He's already proven himself a solid writer and producer, and it's fun to see the guy have a good screen presence as well.

Yet another movie with a bunch of morons just begging to be killed; movies like this absolutely prove that stupid people are alive and well in the world. Once, just once, I'd like to see a Horror movie where people don't do the absolute dumbest things ever. Just one example: You're trying to start a jeep, then you just sit there griping that it won't start, all while your girlfriend is somewhere else, alone and helpless? Lame.

It's bad enough to imagine puppies being smashed with a hammer, and worse still to see it being implied, even if off screen; but to hear the thud of the hammer, the squish of their heads, and the helpless yelps... It's just wrong.

This movie makes puppies sad. Good job, movie.

Dog violence, throat biting, barbed wire violence, puppy smashing violence! (WTF?!?), multiple acts of rabbit violence, and tons of horrible cannibal violence... good times!

A bath/sex scene with some male and female ass, and a naked corpse.

She was naked in this.

"Did you find your tiger?" or " I can feel the family resemblance."

Never camp, explore, hike, or mess with deep country locals, no matter where in the world you are. Also, screw Tasmania.

Also, never try to catch arrows with your mouth.

This was a good, grizzly and at times disturbing movie, but the "stupid people doing stupid things" plot device prevents me from giving it a higher grade. It's well made though, and is definitely worth a watch.

C+

Dying Breed is available now on DVD and VOD.

There is only one true Pieman!