Review by Doug Cooper
Stars Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis, Deniz Akdeniz, Phoebe Tonkin, Chris Pang, Ashleigh Cummings,
Andy Ryan, Colin Friels, Stephen Bourke
Written by Stuart Beattie
Certification UK 12A | Australia M
Runtime 104 minutes
Directed by Stuart Beattie
This one is based on the first of a series of young adult novels that Australians have taken to their hearts. It made more money than any other release last year in the Antipodean land. It's their equivalent of Twilight, if you will. Hot young girls wrestling with losing their virginity to lithe youthful guys while the country goes to hell in a handcart, being overrun by Asian marauders causing terror and destruction.
Seven teenagers go on a camping trip to the country and the weekend they're away, Australia is turned into a police state, the inhabitants rounded up and imprisoned or shot and seemingly helpless in being able to defend themselves. The trusty band of students return to find their homes empty of family, and must determinedly outwit the nasty army of infidels that have befallen their world. But their teenage hormones are racing too, so the girls will chat about the guys they fancy, and whether they're good kissers or not, while almost being captured by said marauders, for example.
Cliches abound and the dialogue is cringeworthy, the characters are stereotypes and the plot mechanics clunky, but it's all done with enough brio to win you over. Providing you're completely undemanding, you'll find this an agreeable time filler, It's actually quite fun. The cast acquit themselves well and are likeable enough, some having done their penance on Neighbours and Home and Away. I look forward to seeing their further adventures as guerillas combatting the evil intruders. A sequel will be out next year. Let's hope they pop their cherries and save the world. Daft but diverting.