It can be tricky to get the balance right with a horror comedy. For every Shaun of the Dead there’s a Lesbian Vampire Killer. So, it is great to find a new entry in this genre that manages to carve out its own path and end up a fabulous watch. Two Heads Creek is a big, bloody delight, one that has oodles of fun with its concept. A first half that neatly balances laughs with a growing sense of unease gives way to a last act that amps up the bloody violence (with a delightfully bonkers music number to separate the film’s two halves), all while making some effective points about the world we live in.
With the death of the family matriarch, twins Norman and Annabelle learn they are in fact adopted and their birth mother is alive down under. They decide to pack it in in post-Brexit Britain and fly across the world to a small town in the middle of Australia. But what they find there is a place with some strange locals and a terrible secret.
As well as writing the smart, laugh packed script (and Two Heads Creek is often uproariously funny), Jordan Waller takes on the role of one of the twins and plays his part well, handling the more dramatic moments as effectively as well as the more gonzo set pieces. But the film is neatly stolen by his on screen sister, played by Kathryn Wilder. Wilder is a fabulous comedic presence and her line delivery is impeccable here, bringing warmth and energy to a potential dislikeable role. There is effective support from the likes of Kerry Armstrong, Stephen Hunter and Helen Dallimore, with Two Heads Creek finding space in its brisk running time to give them moments to shine.
The cast are well-marshalled by director Jesse O’Brien (Arrowhead) who manages to keep proceedings pacy, making some good creative choices that enhances the film, leading to some exceptional set pieces. There is a warmth here that manages to offset some of the harsher satire that comes from the film’s targets. Two Heads Creek comes with a big goofy smile on its face, be it in the takedown of racist attitudes that exist both here and in Australia or when it trots out another high-quality bloody effect (and the effect work is strong here).
Two Heads Creek is the kind-of film that manages to lift your spirits whilst making you wince at the extraordinary violence on screen. Thanks to several exceptional turns and a sharply written script it manages to successfully thread the needle of horror comedy that so rarely happens in the genre.
With the death of the family matriarch, twins Norman and Annabelle learn they are in fact adopted and their birth mother is alive down under. They decide to pack it in in post-Brexit Britain and fly across the world to a small town in the middle of Australia. But what they find there is a place with some strange locals and a terrible secret.
As well as writing the smart, laugh packed script (and Two Heads Creek is often uproariously funny), Jordan Waller takes on the role of one of the twins and plays his part well, handling the more dramatic moments as effectively as well as the more gonzo set pieces. But the film is neatly stolen by his on screen sister, played by Kathryn Wilder. Wilder is a fabulous comedic presence and her line delivery is impeccable here, bringing warmth and energy to a potential dislikeable role. There is effective support from the likes of Kerry Armstrong, Stephen Hunter and Helen Dallimore, with Two Heads Creek finding space in its brisk running time to give them moments to shine.
The cast are well-marshalled by director Jesse O’Brien (Arrowhead) who manages to keep proceedings pacy, making some good creative choices that enhances the film, leading to some exceptional set pieces. There is a warmth here that manages to offset some of the harsher satire that comes from the film’s targets. Two Heads Creek comes with a big goofy smile on its face, be it in the takedown of racist attitudes that exist both here and in Australia or when it trots out another high-quality bloody effect (and the effect work is strong here).
Two Heads Creek is the kind-of film that manages to lift your spirits whilst making you wince at the extraordinary violence on screen. Thanks to several exceptional turns and a sharply written script it manages to successfully thread the needle of horror comedy that so rarely happens in the genre.