Displaying items by tag: Nicholas Hope

LEVITICUS

Australia, 2026, 85 minutes, Colour.

Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie, Mia Wasikowska, Nicholas Hope.

Directed by Adrian Chiarelli.

eviticus made quite an impression at the Sundance film Festival, comparison is made with some of the high profile horror features of 2026, the year of Backrooms and Obsession and box office success.

This film is in the Australian traditional horror, was filmed in the country town of Bacchus Marsh, an industrial atmosphere. It also has the benefit of successful young players, Joe Bird (seen to advantage in Talk to Me, as well as the loathsome associate in Wolfram), Stacy Clauson and Jeremy Blewitt. Respectable veterans of the Australian film industry also appear, Ewen Leslie, Mia Wasikowska, Nicholas Hope.

At the centre of the film is the relationship between the two young teenagers, still at school, shown initially horsing around, then the discovery of feelings of intimacy. However, the central character, Naim, is upset when he sees his friend, Ryan, making a connection with another boy, Hunter. They belong to a religious gathering in the town, and Naim denounces his friend.

The religious group bring in a deliverance minister who performs a ritual over the two boys. And, it is mentioned that this ritual cannot be revoked.

From a realistic setting, the film moves into the area of beyond the natural, horror modes, a doppelgänger of Ryan keeps appearing, strange struggles with only one protagonist visible, Naim in torment, pursued by the doppelgänger, fights, the death of Hunter, another meeting of the religious group.

In the meantime, Naim will has difficulties with his disapproving mother.

The film builds up tension, the idea of the visible and invisible doppelgänger, menacing, violence – culminating in nightmares in dreams and in real life.

On the one hand, there seems to be a cozy kind of ending – but, not as prominently with the usual mode of foreshadowing a frightening future, this time just a suggestion that there could be more trouble.

1. The title, the Jewish Scriptures, prescriptions of Hebrew law, issues of sexuality, homosexuality?
2. The Australian country town, industrial, homes, school, church? The countryside? The musical score?
3. The film as straightforward drama, family, teenagers, school, identity, sexual orientation, behaviour? The religious group? The deliverance ritual?
4. The film as drama with supernatural overtones, horror elements? The deliverance ritual? The doppelgänger? The tormented experiences? Not able to be reversed? The consequences?
5. Naim, his age, shy and awkward, the tense relationship with his mother, at school, with Ryan, the snake devouring the frog, the later sequence in the laboratory, the scoffing students throwing the intestines of the frog at Ryan? In the old mill, the bond between the two young men, the wrestling, the kiss, the awakening for Naim? The repercussions for Naim?
6. Naim later seeing Ryan and Hunter, the kiss, his reporting it?
7. The church, fundamentalist, the gathering, the families all belonging, Ryan, his father? The Minister for the deliverance ritual? The ceremony, the two young men coming forward, implements, the candle ritual, the significance of the candle and light afterwards?
8. The consequences, Naim, awkward, seeing Ryan, going to the photo booth, looking at the photos, Ryan’s behaviour, no one else visible?
9. The consequences, the doppelgänger, Naim and his going to the service station, seeing Hunter and Ryan? Trapped in the building, seeing the death, upset, the police involvement, the therapist, the discussions with her, her helping, the limits and her help, the presence of his mother?
10. The aftermath, the real Ryan, the doppelgänger Ryan, appearances, threats, violence, Hunter’s death, the funeral?
11. Naim trying not to be alone, the continued threats of Ryan’s appearances, real, the doppelgänger? The effect on each?
12. The deliverance ritual minister and the process not being able to be reversed?
13. The continuing intensity, the effect on Naim, nightmares, imaginings, the reality, the presence of Ryan, the violent attacks?
14. Naim‘s mother, her behaviour, attitudes, leaving him?
15. Ryan, leaving, Naim and the encounters, the frightening violence, Ryan returning?
16. The bus stop, Naim seeing Ryan, on the bus, the doppelgänger outside the bus, the two of them together, close, happy future – or the return of the doppelgänger seen outside the bus?

THE RUN   

Digital Release, June 17th

Australia, 2025, 107 minutes, Colour.

Callan Mulvey, Charlotte Maggi, Felix Cameron, Taylor Wiese, Tim Phillips, Joe Romeo, Nicholas Hope.

Directed by Stephen de Villiers.

Futuristic drama – except, that it is the near future, setting is 2036, only a decade to go.

This is an Australian drama, filmed in the South Australian countryside. There has been a pandemic, leading to a post-pandemic somewhat apocalyptic atmosphere in the countryside. And, it is noted that there have been practically no births registered in the previous three years. The country towns have been abandoned by the government, not worth the effort and costs to support them. There are some vehicles on the road. And there are many suspicious characters.

In this context, there is a central character, Mac (Callan Mulvey) grieving the death of his daughter, his wife seriously ill. He drives, makes different contacts, meeting up with some strange characters, and it emerging that he is a courier transporting goods to rendezvous points. His bosses have a hold over him, threatening his sick wife, sending images of her to his phone. He is trapped. He seems resigned and has little hope.

We are introduced to a number of drivers, especially three brothers, one in control, one a laughing reckless criminal, the other morose, not speaking.

Then, a surprise character, Aliah, obviously fleeing. But, this becomes a surprise to Mac and to the audience – she has a baby. The three brothers are in pursuit – questions about relationships, but also about exploitation, young women trafficked, producing babies, the trafficking of the babies.

Alia is played, a very strong performance by Charlotte Maggi given the anxiety, care and protection of the baby, his continued crying, as the risk of her being discovered.

She teams up with Mac, chases, dangers, a teenager with a shotgun protecting his property, Tom (Felix Cameron), heightening the tension, seemingly impossible situations to escape from, but some changes of heart, Mac risking his life to save Alia and the baby, and some indications of hope that there are islands off the mainland, ferries to take the refugee to some safety.

Australia and apocalyptic atmosphere, the ugly side of human nature, not without hope.

1. 2036, 10 years into the future, the pandemic, deaths, the effect in society, isolating country towns, the few births registered, the trafficking in women and babies? Couriers for the crime bosses?
2. The Australian countryside, the roads, the voyage, the coast, the sea? The abandoned towns? The old warehouses, stores? The vehicles on the road?
3. The atmosphere, the musical score, the plausibility of the situation?
4. The character of Mac, driving, his vehicle, difficulties, career, the bosses, deadlines, the restrictions of his life, the bosses and their hold over him? The flashbacks to his daughter, happy memories, her death, the toy in the car? No future except the driving?
5. The various drivers, their vehicles, the introduction to the three brothers, the leader, his manner and control, the silent brother, the reckless brother? Their interactions, the issue of the girl, the baby, revelations of the past, the relationship, the birth, the young girls, pregnancies, the trafficking of the girls, the babies?
6. The old man and burning him?
7. Aliah, audience surprise at seeing her with the baby, her care for the baby, the baby continually crying? In the vehicles, getting out, trying to escape, the pursuit, the different trucks, hiding? The encounter with Mac, his being taciturn, her determination?
8. Travelling with Mac, his protection, his advice about how to treat the babies, the breathing, the air, binding their arms? The relationship between the two, developing?
9. Mac, his decisions, to protect the baby, to protect Aliah, the confrontations, the weapons, hiding, the baby in the drawer, the warehouse, the attacks, the brothers, the violence? The fight with the leader, the silent brother, speaking, letting Aliah go?
10. The encounter with Tom, young, on the property, the gun, teaming with Mac, to protect the baby, to rescue Aliah, with the gun, the confrontation with the reckless brother, and his protection?
11. Aliah, sometimes running away, the note, returning, the protection from Mac, the confrontation with the father of the baby, Aliah getting the gun, her shooting him?
12. Mac, wounded, with Tom, taking Aliah and the baby to the wharf, the ship to the island, the future…?