Crushed (2015) Reviews

• An Aussie mystery with lots of wine ...

  peterp-450-2987162016-11-24

  There are already a number of Australian films that made an indelible impression on me. Even such an impression that I've become a little fan of movies originating from this part of the world. Perhaps "Crushed" is the first minor disappointment. Not because it's an ordinary murder mystery with all associated developments and necessary turns. But simply because there was something missing to make a perfect investigators story. And that's suspense, tension and mystery. It wasn't so to speak exciting and the outcome of the whole story was just predictable. The only surprising part was the quite violent and bloody ending. Actually, I didn't see that one coming. Ellia (Sarah Bishops) returns to her family after hearing the terrible news of her father's death. Apparently a heavy barrel fell on the head of this vineyard owner in Australia. The result isn't a persistent hangover, but a fatal skull fracture. Ellia left quietly after the death of her twin brother and she has been incommunicado with her family since then. Not surprisingly, the initial contacts appeared to be rather coolly. Not to say hostile. As it turns out that her dad seems to be murdered, her mother Sophie (Roxane Wilson) started to mess around with an uncle (Les Hill) in the Australian bushes and gets arrested because the police finds it suspicious that she wants to sell the family business, Ellia gets caught up in a complicated puzzle. The first positive side of this film. They don't beat around the bush. Before you know it, you're looking at a murder mystery, a family dynasty shaking on its foundations, an unexplained drama out of the past and an erroneous environmental decision causing trouble for plants on the surrounding lands and hostile neighbours. Indeed, it's a lot. And yet it's a matter of logical elimination to find out who did it. In "Crushed" the simple rule of most murder mysteries is maintained. Those who look most suspicious, are usually the ones who ultimately didn't do it. So take a close look at the individuals that surround Ellia and choose the person you'd never expect to be the suspect. Bingo. Despite the abundance of subjects and the sometimes disappointing acting, there were also some good sides to this film. The used images were excellent from time to time. And the denouement was surprisingly brutal with an unprecedented number of casualties as a result. Most notable and outstanding role was played by Remy Brand as the timid and emotionally hurt brother Zac. The only thing that started to annoy me were the amount of consumed glasses of wine. I realize that there is a link with a vineyard, but at one point I had the feeling that wine was the only beverage they could drink there. Or the climate is causing an insufferable thirst. It wasn't exactly real added value. It's just that I constantly wondered whether she had a drinking problem or not. Are you a fan of a typical detective story, now happening in the land of kangaroos, then it is worth to see it. More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

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• Predictable and artless

  mysticalfredo2016-06-12

  Over the years, so many films have utilized the Australian landscape as a moody, atmospheric backdrop. It's such a gorgeous place steeped in mysterious natural history that filmmakers hailing from down under have no choice but to exploit its vast photogenic qualities - and they'd be silly not to use it in an attempt to give their work added visual gravitas. Megan Riakos' debut feature "Crushed" is no exception, setting its story in the beautiful Mudgee wine region of New South Wales. Our protagonist, Ellia, returns home after her father is crushed and killed by a barrel in the family's winery under suspicious circumstances. Soon, her mother becomes the prime suspect in the murder investigation, and Ellia finds herself embroiled in an ever-deepening web of mystery, tragedy and family secrets. The film starts off in a slow burn, with lingering shots and scenes that last that little bit longer than they should. Soon, we realize that there's something off about the pacing for a film that's billed as a thriller. We need to get to the meat of the story, and quick, but it's not happening. We spend time with Ellia, who drinks wine. A lot of wine. The performances reveal themselves as uneven - at best melodramatic, and at worst amateurish. The film focuses in on these characters as a family, but we never feel convinced that they have real chemistry. To work, this film desperately needed believable familial interaction between the actors, and it's just not there. Ellia doesn't even seem particularly phased by the fact that her father has been crushed to death, but perhaps we're meant to attribute that to her being numbed by her constant wine- guzzling. Between swigs, the plot devolves into Ellia's less-than-riveting investigation of rotting wheat and poisoned soil - and how that may have a connection to her father's death - mostly consisting of internet searches on a fake version of Google. She questions a line of insultingly incompetent sleazy men and the story gets sillier and sillier until it almost implodes during a scene where Ellia uses her seductive feminine wiles to extract information from a local drunkard about the kind of farming soil he laid at the winery. Oh yeah baby, tell me 'bout that hot, hot soil. Speaking of drunkards... did I mention Ellia drinks a lot of wine? STOP DRINKING! Anyway, the plot reaches its denouement in a way that is, frankly, predictable and cringeworthy in its execution. It's unbelievably melodramatic and solidifies the feeling that this two hour affair would have been far more comfortable on midday TV, rather than blown up to a big screen feature film. "Crushed" takes itself too seriously, and I can't help but think injecting a little Aussie humor may have helped. It's hard to accept this film and its dreary tone without some levity. It's just not very good - but not bad enough to recommend for the midnight movie crowd because it doesn't go far enough in any direction. It's just dull and unengaging. If I could think of a couple of positives, they would be that it's shot decently (if somewhat artlessly) and that the score is decent, but unremarkable and overdramatic for what's happening on screen. There is potential talent inside the crew of "Crushed", but this film is a stumble perhaps hindered by its financial limitations. I guess as an Australian, I should be grateful that anyone is able to get a film off the ground at all in the country. For that alone, congratulations is in order, since that's more than half of the filmmaking battle these days. But that doesn't mean I can't hope for a higher standard. Gems like "The Babadook" and "Wolf Creek" are painfully few and far between, but their very existence means IT IS possible to make genre films of international quality in Australia. As it stands, we're stuck with limited budgets and resources, and our industry will continue to wallow in the mud if "Crushed" is anything to go by.

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• Heart racing thriller!

  kpilcher-506792015-10-27

  Beautiful landscape makes for an incredible juxtaposition against the heart racing fear this thriller incites. As someone who dislikes thrillers I was apprehensive about seeing this film however a few months on I find myself wanting to watch it again. I think its a very classy 'who done it'. There is also levity to break the tension of the movie without it being too slapstick. Australian movies have typically bad reputations with Australian audiences however the time for that has passed and we need to move on and support our industry and Crushed is a perfect example of the class of Australian writing, acting, directing and cinematography. If you want to start supporting the Australian industry - start with Crushed.

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• A gripping story in a beautiful place that shows great promise for its creator.

  CineMuseFilms2016-04-04

  Australian filmmakers have strong form with thrillers especially when they are set in our natural environment of wide red earth, rock-scapes and bushland as seen in the iconic Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and Wolf Creek (2005). Novice writer-director Megan Riakos innovates in the genre by setting Crushed (2015) in a picturesque vineyard in rural New South Wales. This produces a picturesque stage for a gripping thriller that delivers far more than its tiny production budget, dozen or so actors and handful of creatives suggest is possible. Particularly praiseworthy is the beautiful cinematography that captures the ambiance of a vigneron's life and its contrast with the lingering menace of an unexplained death. The crushing of grapes and a daughter's quest for the truth become the binding metaphor for the story. The plot line is based on estranged young Ellia returning to the family vineyard after learning of her father's apparently accidental death. As she re-enters a world she fled because of family tensions, everyone becomes a possible murder suspect and the web of suspicion grows beyond the family to include police and neighbours. Several red-herrings are dangled in fine Hitchcockian form, like the obvious uncle with the lethal glare who appears well-settled in a relationship with her mother, and it eventually emerges that almost everyone disliked her father. She is increasingly isolated and vulnerable, and even her policeman boyfriend becomes a sinister threat. For a novice director to continue building tension and plot developments throughout most of the film is quite an achievement, and the off-the-shoulder camera work adds a nervy pace that balances some fine classical framing of vineyard landscapes that are visually delightful. At the film's Sydney preview Q & A session, Riakos enthused that her team opted for independence rather than the usual professional funding and assistance pathways in making Crushed. In some respects it shows. The acting ensemble could have used an experienced star persona who might have lifted and evened out performances where needed.For example, in the film's final moments when three characters are entangled in discussion with a knife against one throat and a rifle ready to fire at others, none plausibly show fear or emotional stress. There are also parts of the narrative arc that show signs of over-cooking. Hitchcock knew that less is more: one death can make a taut thriller but five can make a farce. As with so many films, the ending does little justice to the effort but its high-points clearly hover above its limitations. Overall, its a gripping story in a beautiful place that shows great promise for its creator.

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• A murder mystery reminiscent of of the best of Alfred Hitchcock.

  mairecat2015-11-14

  The core of this movie is a well-written script with enough twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. This is a modern take on the Alfred Hitchcock-style thriller. Sarah Bishop is a standout as a young woman, Ellia, who returns home for her father's funeral only to find that he was murdered and her mother is the prime suspect. Alone and isolated, Ellia must not only solve the mystery of her father's murder but also deal with the traumatic event that caused her to flee the family vineyard. Megan Riakos wrote the script and directed it, and the result is a tight, cohesive thriller that is also visually stunning. Crushed is an exciting movie that is a refreshing change from the formulaic action movies and derivative comic book franchises so common in the big multiplexes today.

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