Killing Ground (2016) Review – A Brutal and Mean-Spirited Aussie Slasher

Welcome to Knockout Horror and to our review of Aussie splatter-horror movie Killing Ground from 2016.

Bleak, violent, Aussie horror

Directed by Damien Power (cool name), we spend the majority of Killing Ground flashing between two plot lines taking place at different times. We start with couple Ian (Ian Meadows) and Samantha (Harriet Dyer) taking a trip to a camping location somewhere in Australia only to notice another tent and car in the spot they planned to stay. They decide to stay anyway, little realising that the location recently played host to a horrendous crime and they may be next.

“The plot here is secondary to utterly bleak and brutal violence. I think writers see the plot as little more than a means to an end, ignoring character development for sadistic shock.”

Needless to say, the plot here is secondary to utterly bleak and brutal violence. This is a trademark of horror with underdeveloped plots, right? Just look at Eden Lake. I think writers see the plot as little more than a means to an end. Don’t worry too much about character development or motivation. Just make sure you have some sadistic murderers with limited development so you don’t have to explain their reasoning. Killing Ground falls right into this pattern.

I know, it’s splatter-horror

Look, I get it, it’s a splatter-horror and they aren’t renowned for their well developed plots. They are usually at least fun, though. This movie isn’t fun. It isn’t entertaining, it isn’t interesting, and it has little to support its inflated runtime. It wouldn’t be so bad if we had a bit more cat-and-mouse stuff or even some more inventive kills but it just doesn’t. It’s violence with no substance.

Like ducks set up in a row ready to be shot down, the characters here are undefined and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. They are just there to be victims. We have 30 minutes of character introduction and establishing of scene before over 50 minutes of the film is spent recapping the violent fate of the family. As the flashbacks unfold, we witness events in the present with Ian and Samantha as they look after Ollie.

All this builds to a climax with a nothing ending that leaves the fate of certain characters completely untold. All we actually ever know about the victims is that they are innocent and vulnerable people trying to enjoy life. It’s all a bit mean spirited but, like I said, ducks in a row: undefined and unimportant. All the makers of Killing Ground wanted to actually portray was violence which brings me onto my next point.

Horror cardinal sin

There are plenty of people that would argue that nothing is off limits in horror and, to some extent, I agree. Where I don’t agree is when it comes to the depiction of abuse of minors and violence to children. There is absolutely nothing that topic can bring to a movie that decent writing couldn’t replace. Killing Ground does both of these things in an indulgent and brutal fashion.

There’s a part of me that genuinely believes that there is an unwritten code that means most horror creators will avoid excessive violence to children and minors. You rarely see it in horror but it seems as though Killing Ground didn’t get the memo. There is one particular scene involving the baby that, although not shown on screen, is totally unnecessary. I am perhaps risking spoiling certain things here but I can’t honestly review the movie without mentioning these issues. Consider yourself warned.

“There is absolutely nothing that the topic of violence to children can bring to a movie that decent writing couldn’t replace. Killing Ground does this in an indulgent and brutal fashion.”

It just speaks to the bigger issues with this film. It’s just completely lacking in substance. It’s torture porn for a generation that didn’t get tired of the whole thing back in the 2000s. There’s nothing to grab onto, no story to speak of, and zero character development. It’s less a film and more an exercise in mundane shock horror tropes. If that’s your vibe then great but there wasn’t anything here for me to bite into. It’s just redundant.

Any plus points?

It’s not all bad. I have to applaud Powers for working so hard to deconstruct some of the assumed ways in which people react in these situations. The characters here react atypically to the events but, perhaps, more realistically. It feels fresh in the grand scheme of things but it does mean that certain character’s decisions will have you scratching your head.

Cinematography is very nice. Australia is gorgeous and always makes for an amazing movie location. Acting is great throughout with not a bad performance in sight. Aaron Pedersen and Aaron Glenane do a decent enough job with the psycho Australian hillbilly roles.

The movie doesn’t entirely resort to some of the typical character tropes that so many horror movies do. Teenager Em, although reluctant to spend time camping, is actually a likable character that you have sympathy for. Em’s parents are nice enough and Ian and Samantha are nowhere near as annoying as most couples in these types of movies. Bea and Paul from Honeymoon jump to mind when mentioning this, they annoy me so much. Sound production is spot on and pacing is mostly fine.

“Killing Ground just doesn’t offer much as a horror movie. Everything it does has been done before, only better. It’s an exercise in mundane shock horror tropes.”

Although the separate plots could use a little more definition to make them stand out, it is an interesting way to do things. It is a shame they are both pretty boring and don’t exactly draw you in. Casting is great, everyone fits their roles perfectly. There is a nice change from the usual routine with one character who acts completely different to how you might expect given the situation. I won’t go into detail but I thought it was interesting to show how fallible people could be given the situation.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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