An article for enthusiasts of Australian horror movies looking for recommendations for the best creature feature films. Killer animal movies, especially those from the notoriously known Australia are a popular subgenre. I’m here to be your movie tour guide and tell you which titles you need to add to your watchlist. There’s something intrinsically unnerving about Australian animal horror films. Narratives from whence the most lethal creatures hold dominion are an experience in their own right. Here is a collection of the most impactful trauma-imposing creature features that will resonate long after the credits roll.
Engage with stories that span from true stories to complete fiction. Most feature sharp scriptwriting with inspired direction with filmmakers instinctively able to tap into your innermost fears. Embrace the rush, and sink into the distinctly popular world of Australian apex predators.
Black Water (2007) Review | Australian Horror Films
Australia has dangerous killer animals and crocodiles are one of them that filmmakers love. Most of them are in Northern Queensland but there are also some in Northern Territory and Western Australia. I live in Northern Queensland and let me tell you, it’s not just the desolate outback that features these dinosaurs. I once lived in Townsville, they were known to swim at the beach and were often spotted swimming near kayakers and lying along the roadside.
Killer Animal Horror Movies, Killer Croc Movies
Black Water’s crocodile creature feature was filmed in Darwin. The film eked out in the swampland of a business district in Sydney before being tacked together with specialized CG. It premiered in London at the Frightfest Film Festival in 2007.
Black Water, one of the best killer animal movies, revolves around Grace. With her is her husband Adam, and Lee, who is Grace’s younger sister. They embark on an adventurous Mangrove tour to enjoy some fishing. However, their journey takes an unexpected turn when their tour guide Jim veers off course in search of a more exciting experience. Unfortunately, their boat capsizes, leaving them in a precarious situation. To make matters worse, they find themselves in the presence of a lurking crocodile, adding an extra layer of danger to their already dire circumstances.
Is Black Water a Good Movie?
This movie is incredibly tense and stressful. It holds a special place in my heart as one of the most captivating killer animal horror films I’ve ever watched. Even after multiple viewings, it continues to astound me how a story centered around a river, a handful of individuals, and an overturned boat can elicit such intense emotions and keep its audience on the edge of their seats. The film expertly builds an atmospheric ambiance that triggers fight-or-flight responses, immersing viewers in a thrilling cinematic experience.
- Directors and Writers: David Nerlich and Andrew Traucki
- Budget: $700, 000.
- Released: August 2007.
- Black Water cast includes Diana Glenn, Maeve Dermody, and Andy Rodoreda.
I give Black Water
4.5 humans for dinner out of 5.
Black Water Movie Trailer
Black Water Streaming
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Rogue (2007) Animal Horror Movies With Crocodiles
Set in the Northern Territory in Kakadu National Park, a travel journalist, Pete goes on a Crocodile watching tour. Spotting a flare in the distance and knowing it means someone is in trouble, a duty of care dictates they need to take a closer look. This is a movie about scary animals in the ocean.
When the boat sees a sunken wreck in the water something crashes into the hull and it begins to take on water. Seeing a tiny island in the middle of the river, they pull the boat up while deciding what to do next. Of course, the island is affected by the tides and everyone suspects that the land they chose as a safety net will eventually be underwater. And something is stalking them.
Is Rogue a True Story?
Rogue is based on a real crocodile known as Sweetheart. Although she never killed any people, she was 5.1 meters (16.7 feet) and was partial to attacking dinghies, fishing boats, and outboard motors. If you’re looking for more animal horror movies, Rogue is an excellent place to start.
I loved the Rogue movie. For computer graphics instead of special effects, this will cause you to say, “Wait a minute, are you sure?” It’s pretty well done considering how it’s made.
- Director/Writer: Greg McLean.
- Budget: $25 million and made a meager $4.6 million.
I give Rogue
4.5 Shlocky American Pete’s out of 5.
Best Australian Horror & Creature Features
Skillfully directed by the renowned filmmaker Andrew Traucki, ‘The Reef’ emerges as a horror movie with killer animals that pushes many boundaries. Filmed against the breathtaking backdrop of Hervey Bay, Queensland, a coastal oasis that I had the privilege to call home for over 8 glorious years, this cinematic gem delivers a graphic portrayal of nature’s most formidable predator: the shark.
The Reef (2010)
With a heart-stopping narrative, ‘The Reef’ presents a tale of survival, uncovering the journey of a group of individuals thrust into a battle against the treacherous perils of the deep blue sea. As tension escalates and danger lurks beneath the surface, viewers are kept on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the fate of people versus sharks.
‘The Reef’ not only serves as a testament to the director’s impeccable vision but also pays homage to the captivating charm of Hervey Bay. It is worth mentioning that local resident, Vic Heslop, a notable figure notorious for his belief in the necessity of shark culling, once held center stage in the area’s shark-infested discourse.
Best Shark Movies
With its masterful storytelling, awe-inspiring cinematography, and unforgettable cast, this cinematic triumph will undoubtedly leave viewers craving for more.
- Written by: Andrew Goods.
- Directed by: Andrew Traucki.
- Box Office: Made a truckload of cash.
I give The Reef
4.5 dead floating turtles out of 5.
Stream The Reef on Shudder.
In 2022, this directed attempted a sequel to the classic misadventure in the ocean titled The Reef: Stalked. Find out what Mother of Movies thought about the newest shark movie.
Bait 3D (2012) Review
Are you getting the feeling, that Aussies have some wildly dangerous animals? No, we do, but I am sure sharks are present all over the world. They are also fascinating creatures. Bait 3D is widely known as a killer animal horror movie that has its faults. But it’s also good. Mother of Movies “Bait 3D” is one reason why Australian horror is the best.
This film is not pure Australian cinema, this gets credited to Singapore as well.
The majority of the story takes place in a supermarket with a small backstory to introduce Josh (Xavier Samuel) involving prior brushes with sharks. The opening scenes are action, action, action just the way I like it. If you want to see a movie about sharks and see sharks then you will see sharks straight away. Some movies make you wait, but this doesn’t.
Best Australian Shark Attack Movie
More importantly, if you like disaster movies then Bait has you covered. There is a Tsunami which covers the city with lovely water so the lovely sharks have somewhere to roam about. Watch Great White next, if you like Australian shark movies.
This film had a massive budget and still, there is some shady CGI in this but I don’t care. Moreover, I like this film and I have watched it a few times. There are some great kills, awesome jump scares, and many other horror tropes that critics criticized over and over. It also has some underdeveloped characters and some predictable outcomes. But again, I like shark movies and I like them when the acting is solid. I came for the sharks and that’s what I got.
- Written by: Russell Mulcahy and John Kim.
- Directed by: Kimble Rendall.
- Budget: $20 million, made $32.5 million.
Bait 3D is rated
4 feisty supermarket sharks out of 5.
Long Weekend (1978) Review
This film has already had a remake in 2008 starring Claudia Karvan. But even having some HD cinematic scenery and modernized filmmaking techniques didn’t lift it to where I imagined it could go.
“The Long Weekend” movie storyline concerns two lovers with issues deciding to take a camping trip with their dog. They disrespect nature in a myriad of ways and throughout the film, nature decides to seek revenge. Sounds cool right?
Actually what happens is filmmakers in both the original Long Weekend creature feature movie and remake manage to take the tension and throw it to the possums. I’m not saying a possum is unlikely to bite you from time to time, just as squirrels in the US are probably able to do. But possums, Blue Tongue Lizards, and even Dugongs are unlikely to be featured in this animal horror movie.
Animal Horror Movies With Possums
This movie ends up being an advertisement for not littering and being mindful of the environment. I am glad I watched it though and the end sequence is by far the best part of the film.
As a horror movie nerd, I would love to see someone remake this and use other more fierce Australian animals likely to do some damage. Or take the ones already included and have them in bigger numbers. Then bring with it a more popular campground so that nature can choose to pick off the ones that throw lit cigarettes into the bush and harpoon dugongs. But that’s just me.
- Budget: $270, 000.
- Director: Colin Eggleston.
- Writer: Everett De Roche, best known for Harlequin (1980), Razorback (1984), and Fortress (1985.)
- Both the writer and director have now passed away which is a bit sad.
The Long Weekend movie (1978) is rated
2.5 killer possums out of 5.
“RazorBack” – Animal Horror Movies From Australia
For a 1984 horror film about feral pigs that kill people, this was a great surprise. Coincidentally, Cujo was released in 1983 and I couldn’t help but think of it a few times throughout watching this. Cujo is by far, a much better film, with the tension of a barbed-wire fence. There is something about feral animals on the loose that makes a good movie great.
The premise of “Razorback” doesn’t hold up to modern times. The thought of kangaroos ‘going extinct’ is about as likely as bread landing buttered side up. Beth Winters (Judy Morris) has traveled from the USA to gather in-tell on kangaroo hunting, believing her animal activism will save the cute hoppy creatures. She learns the hard way that Skippy is not the issue in the outback town she settles in to cover her story. When she disappears, her husband comes looking for her.
Razorback has some issues with the narrative surrounding the slow pace at times. It’s also a little too long and there is a filler that it could have done without but overall it’s kitsch, strange, and weirdly watchable.
Is Razorback a Creature Feature?
Razorback is an excellent place to start when binge-watching awesome Australian horror movies with killer animals. A tense and action-filled revenge movie pitting a giant rhinoceros-sized razorback boar against unsuspecting people. It may have been better if more people got chased down by this human killing machine, but perhaps there were some budgetary issues in play. A lot of the effects used with buildings falling and car chases were great. Maybe all their cash got spent on those parts. When Razorback was released on DVD in 2005, it was described as;
“Jaws on trotters.”
Tagline from the movie, Razorback
But that scream coming from Jake Cullen (Bill Kerr) will haunt me for a while and also make me smile from time to time — it has that effect.
The Razorback movie is rated
2.5 one-eyed kangaroo hunters out of 5.
- Written by: Everette De Roche.
- Directed by: Russell Mulcahy.
- Budget: $5.5 million and only made $1 million.
- The Razorback cast has Gregory Harrison, Arkie Whiteley, and Bill Kerr.
