ThiefHott Too much of everything

SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Pluskylang Great Film overall

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

adriangr "Next of Kin" is a superior Australian horror film set in a large retirement home. A young woman named Linda returns to take ownership of it after her mother's death, but soon after arriving she finds that there are several mysteries concerning what happened while her mother was in charge, plus she begins to feel threatened by a malevolent presence that creeps about the house after dark.First off, this is a very good looking movie. Despite the unglamourous locations of scrubby Australian countryside, a shabby diner and the austere retirement home, the direction and camera work ensures that every shot counts. This may have been a relatively low budget venture, but framing, lighting and colours are all handled with considerable skill, with several particularly stylish camera angles every few minutes. Everything looks real, and I would bet that all the shooting was done on location in the big old house that serves as the retirement home. With all this confidence behind the camera, it's also a joy to watch the acting performances, as there isn't a wrong note among them. Jackie Kerin, who plays Linda, takes to the role with a calm maturity. Rather than playing up the glamour side of a "damsel in distress", she instead brings a quiet intensity to the part, showing Linda to be thoughtful, intelligent and resourceful. All the supporting players do equally well, from Linda's amiable boyfriend Barney, to the other staff and inmates of the home, and even a friendly teenage boy who lives in the local diner/gas station is well played.The combined effect of these achievements is that the film's plot is vividly played out, and the tension is really racked up as events start to turn increasingly more macabre. One of the elderly inmates dies unexpectedly quite early on in the film, and this scene and it's aftermath are filmed for maximum creepiness, which gives a running thread of weirdness to Linda's experiences in the house. I won't reveal any more of the plot, because the film benefits hugely from it's sense of bewilderment, but hold on to your seats, as, after building slowly the story finally culminates in a gripping struggle for survival as Linda finally learns the truth behind the mystery. Although the majority of the film works on a purely "mystery" level, if you're not sure whether "Next of Kin" qualifies as a horror movie, the final fifteen minutes alone should convince you.Once again, I find myself praising the quiet intensity of an Australian thriller. The ability to draw in the viewer without relying on action set pieces and pyrotechnics seems to be a particular skill of film makers hailing from this continent. I have a similar high regard for other films of the late 17970's/early 1980's, such as "Long Weekend" and "Picnic at Hanging Rock". "Next of Kin" should be ranked alongside the best of Australian horror cinema, and it probably would be, if only it weren't so darned hard to get hold of. Video releases have been very limited, and the only DVD release is a Region 4 domestic Australian one. I am lucky enough to have this ( it's easy to buy on the Internet but US residents will need a multi region DVD player - however it works on UK PAL DVD players - hooray!), and it's significantly improved by being seen in it's correct widescreen ratio, as many of the beautifully composed shots are clobbered in the full screen video version. Aside from that though, I would urge any horror fans to seek out any version they can get hold of, and experience this quiet yet vivid horror treat.

filmicly While touring Australia promoting Kill Bill 2, Tarantino looked up John Jarratt, actor in Next of Kin. He's one of my favorite actors," said Tarantino."He was in all those great movies in the late '70s. His favorite is Jarratt's 1982 horror film, "Next Of Kin"."That movie was mesmerizing," said Tarantino. "I've never seen anything that had The Shining's quality without ripping it off.According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, Tarantino is considering actor John Jarratt for a lead role in his next film "Inglorious Bastards"? Sounds strange, but weirder things have happened. Says Jarratt, "I love his stuff, loved Pulp Fiction, but I didn't think he'd have heard of me let alone know my work," Jarratt said."Hopefully something comes of it but I won't be worried if it doesn't. I'm just an ugly old character actor now, mate." You never know…watch this space. Jarratt has since received acclaim for his performance in Wolf Creek.

Muffy-5 This film continues to scare the hell out of me.It has been dismissed by some as a routine slasher film, but I whole-heartedly disagree, for a few reasons:SUSPENSE: Much of the movie IS suspense...slow walks down hallways, heads looking around corners, far-off shots of indistinct figures. This really must be what it's like to go crazy, as Linda fears she is. Importantly, the suspenseful moments never cop-out, they do usually end in a satisfying chill...but the climax is wonderfully held off for the end.MUSIC: The music is absolutely incredible in that early-80's, Tangerine Dream meets John Carpenter sort of way. It's perfect. Sometimes, it even transcends.ACTING: The acting is pretty low-key, allowing us time to get interested in the characters, their quirks, their hang-ups. But when it comes time for the climax, the lead actress really lets loose, and it is most disturbing to be witness to such a total frenzy.STYLISH CINEMATOGRAPHY: Moody hallways, strange camera angles & movements (particularly the long wall-hugging draw away from Linda's nervous eyes as she peers into the hallway, and the cameraman following the nonchalant cat down the hall), creepy focus changes and slow-motion moments.SURPRISES: The ending will blow your head off. It's nice to see a heroine being sensible, capable, and strong (especially in 1982!!!)For sure, it's not all good. Particularly weak is the link between the suspenseful bulk of the movie and the frantic climax...the storyline falls completely apart when it comes time to explain why everything has happened. Fortunately, we don't really care at that point, because it's all too freaking scary. If you can find it, SEE IT. Especially if you like horror films populated by realistic human beings (the old man Lance, telling endlessly dull stories about the war...Linda's fork tricks and sugar-cube pyramid...the father in the restaurant threatening to smack his son into the middle of next week). Few films have upset me as much as this one, and hopefully it will do that for you as well.

tla.baio This Australian horror film is a fine addition to the massive genre. The story is about a woman named Linda who comes back to her home town in order to take possession of a home for the elderly which she has inherited as a result of her mother's death. As Linda adjusts to moving back home and catching up with old friends, her troubled past begins to haunt her. Things get even harder for her when she finds her mother's diary and begins to read through it. She learns that her mother had feared that someone was watching and following her. Also, some of the patients had died under suspicious and mysterious circumstances. Soon Linda begins experiencing the same fears and events her mother wrote about in the diary. She is now being watched, followed and her patients are dying off as well. She learns the truth of what is happening in the films tense and devastating conclusion.Next of Kin's plot is handled very well by the entire cast. Although dismissed by some as a basic slasher movie, co-writer/director Tony Williams use of music, shadows and slow-motion add much style giving the film a unique edge. The stalking scenes and action laced conclusion are very well done and bound to satisfy any horror fan out there. This is one film to seek out. Happy Hunting!