[7]

Director Justin Kurzel tells the true story of Australia’s most notorious serial killer through the eyes of his teenaged accomplice. Teenager Jamie (Lucas Pittaway) falls in with his mother’s new boyfriend, John Bunting (Daniel Henshall). Bunting becomes a father figure to Jamie and preys on the boy’s feelings of insecurity, transforming him into his own private henchman. First, they scare a molester out of town. Then they move their sights to homosexuals and drug users. Eventually, Bunting coerces Jamie into killing his own brother. Kurzel doesn’t dwell on the visceral or exploitation aspects of the story. He’s squarely focused on the psychology and the atmosphere. His cast is superb, with Pittaway and Henshall delivering terrific performances. Kuzel’s style is very unadorned and voyeuristic. The documentary feel brings an immediacy and realism to The Snowtown Murders. While it involves a notorious killer, don’t expect a horror film. Do expect an interesting character study of a controlling psychopath and a broken soul.