Boring

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This movie has a fantastic set up, and although the plot is a little ridiculous (two teenage best friends blackmailing the local serial killer into murdering the man who raped them as children), as a viewer I became so involved with the character dynamic that I really didn't question it much.The two teenage protagonists are very sympathetic. I think the acting on their part was what ultimately made the movie. What was weird was that the kids look exactly like these two guys that I knew out in California who were about the same age and actually acted kind of like these guys too, save for the whole being Australian part.Anyway, to get back to the point-I think that anyone who's a fan of the thriller and horror genre would like this movie. I imagine a lot of people who might be reading this, or looking into this movie have probably also seen 'The Loved Ones', which a decent movie in its own right. However, Acolytes is light-years better in terms of acting and plot, and as I get older I am starting to get tired of all this torture porn going around. Acolytes is 'tasteful' in that regard.The ending is a little weird, and probably could have been thought out better, but overall a good ride.

A student catches a man burying something in the woods and he seeks two of his friends who also make a couple to go there and dig out. In town a young girl has been missing and the kids believe that it's a possibility that indeed Tanya is buried over there and the cruel truth make their assumptions to be real. Fortunately, one of the boys manage to take a closer look at the killer's car so he decide to go after him and deliver to the police. Of course this will not be easy because in their way stand a man that wants to take revenge on the kids and they make the ultimate choice in order to get rid of the obstacle that stands between them. Will they succeed? The first 20 minutes are good, the action and the story keep the audience focused even through the middle of the movie but the last 30 minutes becomes dull and the story begins to get complicated towards the simple plot that has been at the start.An OK movie not a masterpiece but not the kind that you should neglect.

Jon Hewitt's little Aussie horror / thriller 'Acolytes' had a strong base to work with as it focused on two teenage boys Mark and James who were physically abused when youngsters by a psychotic bully, Gary and he still happens to be on the scene. By chance Mark discovers a fresh grave in the woods and witnesses the culprit leaving in their 4WD. Thinking maybe its drugs or cash. Himself, James and his girlfriend Chasely head back the next day to unearth it, but discover a body. Still wanting revenge on Gary, they decide to find the whereabouts of the serial killer and secretly blackmail them into killing Gary, or they'll go to the cops. The opportunity might be worth the risk, but they soon find out it won't be all that easy.Director Hewitt sets up a deceitfully macabre and hauntingly slick serial killer film… well the serial killer element can almost be seen as the tool for the story's progression because the central piece could be labelled more so the relationship between the three broodingly angst, but damaged teenagers who really succumb to a lack judgement. The sound idea is made up of many possibilities, but the ambitious narrative does become a bit of jumble losing shape with its jaded editing techniques and jerky flashback sequences. I was getting a little confused with the incoherent shifts in the story's developments, but soon after the film had finished the pieces did eventually come together, despite the contrived occurrences for these things to actually work. It's visually atmospheric style was very similar of the enigmatically uncanny 2003 Australian horror 'Lost Things'. Just like that film, the pacing is purposely slow-going (too casual or artsy for some) and keeping a downbeat frown throughout, but remains psychologically gripping with its metaphorical undercurrents and pessimistic tone. After the ponderous set-up, it storms up moments of suspense and explicit brutality, by transcending in to a game of survival when those who thought they were in control find out they bit off more than what they could chew… or did they? When it erupts there's a real dark edge leading to a dangerously murderous impulse revealing a little more than we first thought. While it's not a perfect balance and feels rushed, it's intriguing to how it eventually goes on to play out. Nonetheless watching the two alternative endings on the DVD, I actually preferred those two takes over the original theatrical choice.The dialogues are fairly sparse and if so quite straight forward, with it concentrating on its moody styling to invoke the emotional pull. Truthfully most of the characters that enter the frame (the main players) isn't particularly likable and can be said to be unpleasant or obnoxious. This however doesn't hamper any of the performances. Sebastian Gregory, Joshua Payne and Hanna Mangan-Lawrence provide good, honest portrayals of the teenagers who find they are in over their heads. Joel Edgerton emits a plausible intensity and uneasiness from his casually creepy facade as the suburban serial killer. Michael Dorman gives a capable turn as the crazily violent bully.Rich locations (filmed in Queensland) are made to great use, where the authentically stunning backdrops have the outskirts of suburbia intrusively entering the forlorn wilderness. Hewitt really does cement a constant eeriness to when the scenes hit the chilling woodlands because of the clinically sharp photography (as there's plenty of excellent imagery captured) and distinctively howling score. However there are some generic inclusions involving unnerving sound effects and clichéd jump scares.

The teenager Mark (Sebastian Gregory) has a crush on Chasely (Hanna Mangan Lawrence), who is the girlfriend of his best friend James (Joshua Payne) and is always teasing him. Mark and James share a secret: they were raped by the punk bully Gary Parker (Michael Dorman) when they were younger. While wandering in the woods, Mark witnesses a suspicious man with a shovel filling a hole and then sneaking from the place in a 4x4 Discovery with a butterfly cover on the spare tire. Mark tells James and Chasely and they return with shovels to dig the location, where they find the corpse of a woman. Instead of calling the police, they decide to find whether the killer lives. They discover that his name is Ian Wright (Joel Edgerton) and lives in the suburb with his wife and their baby. Mark and James blackmail Ian, ordering him to kill Gary Parker. However, the killer presses Gary and discovers the identities of the teenagers, reverting the situation and disclosing a dark secret about Mark."Acolytes" has a promising beginning with the weird relationship among Mark, James and Chasey and their discovery of the grave of a Caucasian woman. The first unreasonable and absurd situation is when the trio does not call the police and decides to investigate the possible killer. However, the conclusion when Ian teams up with his acolyte is so stupid and unthinkable that irritates. My vote is five.Title (Brazil): "Caçada Sinistra" ("Sinister Hunting")