Dying Breed review

A good setting goes a long way! The same can be said for technically sound filmmaking and an intriguing story. Although it does break new ground while at times bordering on the run-of-the-mill, director Jody Dwyer’s Dying Breed has enough going for it to deserve a recommendation. In the harsh wilderness of Western Tasmania, four people go searching for the mythical extinct Tasmanian tiger, as well as for clues into the death of team member Nina’s sister ten years earlier. Nina’s sister died in this area, a quick boat ride away from a sinister village of shady, life-long-dwelling and potentially inbred folks. Furthermore, these small-village minds ramble on about “The Pieman”, an ancestor of theirs from the British penal colony days - an escaped convict also believed to have been a cannibal.

And it appears the legend of this “Pieman” is true! Now, I don’t know about you, but this is absolutely a story I had to see! The Tasmanian setting actually sent shivers down my spine in a few scenes. You cannot ask for a better location (with the added bonus of “The Pieman” back story in the same spot) and the movie is superbly photographed to maximize it. The story is strong and the characters are developed enough to be rooted for. The actors are game, providing far superior performances than expected. Cast standout Nathan Phillips (of Wolf Creek) fares best. Furthermore, the supporting cast of actors who inhabit the village are completely believable and unnervingly authentic.

Despite being far from perfect (particularly in the last act), director Dwyer conjures up a sense of dread and doom throughout what seem like normal circumstances. And when this suspense is replaced by tense action, the viewer is provided a few surprises and some disturbing violence. The gore is not too over-the-top but nevertheless manages to shock a couple times.

As previously stated, the film falls apart a bit in the end in usual horror film fashion. There are some plot holes that are difficult to shake and questions raised about the legend of “The Pieman” and the villagers that are never quite answered. But Dying Breed still delivers with an attention-grabbing tale that I ultimately quite enjoyed in a Tasmania that will continue to haunt me in the night.

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