Movie review – “Rogue” (2007) **1/2 (NB warning – spoilers)

The success of Wolf Creek earned Greg McLean $20 million to spend on a killer croc film, but its really a low budget big budget movie – to wit, despite location filming, its basically about a bunch of people on an island being picked off one by one, with a last act about one person battling the crocodile alone. The crocodile effects are very special and McLean gets points for not killing off people in predictable ways (there’s a woman dying of cancer who survives, ditto an annoying American). It lacks the characterisation to make a Jaws or Wolf Creek – they try but it doesn’t come off. And the script was a bit wonky in places – it didn’t make sense Michael Vartan would follow a dog through a swamp when there’s a crocodile about (OK yes he promised Radha Mitchell he’d take care of the dog but c’mon – there’s a massive croc around). Also its a debit to have vanilla ice, aka Michael Vartain as the lead. There’s nothing wrong with an American in this sort of movie, but vanilla Vartan is only good in things where he’s a handsome prop for the leading lady – but here the last third is about Vartan battling the croc to save Radha Mitchell. Had it been the other way round this might have been the big hit everyone was hoping it would be.