Best True Crime Movies From Australia, 4 Shocking Titles
“Wolf Creek” and “The Loved Ones” are indeed notable titles in the genre, known for their intense and chilling stories. Both films are based on real events, true crime movies showcasing the dark side of human nature and the horrors of serial killers. It’s fascinating how these movies explore the theme of people hunting other people.
It’s worth noting that all the films on this list are made in Australia, which adds another layer of uniqueness to them. Australian cinema has produced some remarkable true crime horror movies over the years.
People Who Hunt People, Best True Crime Movies
The intriguing and thought-provoking nature of true crime stories, as they delve into the depths of human psychology and criminal behavior is one of my favorite reasons to watch horror movies. It’s the heinous nature of the stories that make the titles in this list the best true crime movies.
The Loved Ones (2009)
Movies where people are hunting people because they got turned down for prom
- Written and Directed by Sean Byrne.
- Released: Sep 13, 2009 (Toronto International Film Festival).
- Budget: $4 million.
- The cast for The Loved Ones: Xavier Samuel, Robin Mcleavy, Victoria Thaine, Jessica McNamee, Richard Wilson, and John Brampton.
“The Loved Ones” film is one of my favorite films and probably the one that spurred me into writing about Australian horror. Even though it was released in 2009, it holds a 98% satisfaction score on Rotten Tomatoes. If you know me, I don’t hold a lot of confidence in that site, but for a film nearly ten years old, it’s usually a good indication you will like what you see.
All The Right Ingredients For a True Crime Horror Movie
The Loved Ones has all the ingredients you want in a horror film. Likable characters with backstories, tragedy, and a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes.
Sean Byrne made his feature film directorial début with “The Loved Ones” and didn’t rush with his follow-up film Devils Candy (2015). Having what I consider two smash-hit films with a fantastic cult following must make him feel pretty good about himself.
The Loved Ones features some awesome and unique kill sequences. It also has Lola, who is the teenage epitome of the queen of wannabe bunny boilers. The atmosphere created in this multi-layered story of unrequited love is a must-see.
bunny boiler – noun informal
a woman who acts vengefully after having been spurned by her lover.
I give The Loved Ones
5 razor blade necklaces out of 5
Wolf Creek (2005)
Is Wolf Creek a real place? Yes. It certainly is and there is even a giant crater made by a meteorite featured in the film itself. The name has only been changed incrementally and is actually called Wolfe Creek. The location for this place is Western Australia, the largest state in the country.
- Written and Directed by Greg McLean.
- Budget: $1 million. It took almost $4.9 million on opening weekend and has gone on to make over an estimated $28 million.
- Released: Jan 2005 (Sundance Film Festival)
- Cast for Wolf Creek: John Jarratt, Cassandra Magrath, Kestie Morassi, Nathan Phillips, and Gordon Poole.
Is Wolf Creek a Real Place? Is this really a true-crime movie?
Wolf Creek 2005 is an
By the end of the Wolf Creek movie, I think I sat still for a few minutes, quietly digesting the total brutality of it. This idea went on to a sequel (Wolf Creek 2), however, I didn’t appreciate the tone it took. I am not too fond of over-the-top schlock and was happy when I watched the television series of the same name and saw it go back to its original dark and twisted roots. Wolf Creek 3 will be released on September 8th, 2022.
Is The Movie Wolf Creek a True Story?
In short; yes. One of the most iconic and talked about Australian Horror films is this little gem. This film is something of a notorious horror. Most people know the infamous character, Mick Taylor, and many a backpacker has probably thought of this film somewhere in the back of their minds while visiting the Australian outback. Mick Taylor is inspired by real-life serial killer Ivan Milat who killed seven people.
Has the Wolf Creek Killer Been Caught?
Wolf Creek is based on real events. Its writer Greg McLean used a true crime event that happened between 1989 and 1993 as inspiration. Ivan Milat is known as The Backpack Killer and many of his victims resemble some of the more vicious scenes in the film itself. Luckily he will be in jail until he is well and truly buried. Currently, he has died after a long bout with cancer.
When Wolf Creek was about to release, the film got postponed in the Northern Territory due to another infamous tourist murder involving Peter Falconio.
I give Wolf Creek
4 that’s not a knife, this is a Bowie knife out of 5
Full Movie Trailer for Wolf Creek – Best True Crime Movies
Release Date for Killing Ground
- Written and Directed by Damien Power (No Exit 2022.)
- Budget: $1.3 million.
- Killing Ground cast: Aaron Pederson, Ian Meadows, Harriet Dyer, Aaron Glenane, and Maya Strange.
- Released: Aug 4, 2016 (Melbourne International Film Festival)
Killing Ground (2016)
I have given the writer and director Damien Power the title of my favorite director now. This film is not perfect, but the way the movie gets put together creates a perfect storm of horrific detail. The Killing Ground movie begins fairly innocuously with a family camping. Like a suffocating whirlwind of the wrong place and wrong time, the family becomes entrenched in the worst possible nightmares imaginable.
What I loved about this was the off-camera cruelty instead of the often too much shock value scenic madness. Where Wolf Creek causes you to have flashbacks of what you have seen, this will cause you to have flashbacks of what you imagine in your mind.
The twist in Killing Ground is phenomenal and in this instance, these true-crime movies and the storytelling let this filmmaker quit his day job and start concentrating on what he does best. Making movies.
The Killing Ground movie is rated
4 do doctors even go camping? out of 5
(2011) Snowtown
Watching The Snowtown movie is not a nice experience. It’s one of those movies that after you watch it you want to rewind it in your mind and pretend you didn’t just inflict such mind-numbing pain upon your psyche. The violence in “Snowtown” includes animals, sex, and torture.
There might not be a lot of onscreen violence in Snowtown, but wow you can hear it. In others, a precursor such as body parts or implements used gets shown instead. In any case, having these acts shown in this way certainly doesn’t minimize the act itself.
There is no mistaking the painstaking detail that has been wound together by the filmmaker.
The cast is overall brilliant which is why this title deserves a spot on the best true crime movies list. You will never forget the mannerisms of John Bunting (Daniel Henshall) as he eats. I’m not sure why that stuck with me.
- RELATED: Read about the Snowtown Murders on Wikipedia— Get all the facts
- READ: Who was Mr. Larg? Read the news article from The Age
Best True Crime Movies Based on True Crime & Real Stories
The Snowtown Murders is fully made from a true crime often called bodies-in-barrels. It all happened in South Australia. John Bunting was the instigator of leading the others into thinking the murders were for reasons of weakness, pedophilia, or homosexuality.
Because the bodies of the group killing spree were eventually found in Snowtown the town itself has suffered. A man called Mr. Large who lived in the town wanted to turn the events into a gimmick, such as selling pies in the shape of barrels. Others wanted to change the name of the town to Rosetown. In any case, the town has suffered even though only one of the 12 murders took place there.
Release Date and Cast of Snowtown
Directed by: Justin Kurzel
Story: Written by Shaun Grant and Justin Kurzel. Taken from books Killing for Pleasure by Debi Mashall and The Snowtown Murders by Andrew McGarry.
Budget: $2 million
The Snowtown movie cast: Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Louise Harris, and Anthony Groves.
Released: May 16, 2011(Cannes Film Festival)
Fun Fact: Justin Kurzel’s next film is called Haven. The plot is tightly under wraps however I can tell you it’s set in a mental facility and is a psychological thriller.
The Snowtown Murders movie is rated
4 dead, mashed kangaroos out of 5
Trailer for Australian Horror Movie The Snowtown Murders
- IVAN MILAT SERIAL KILLER: Find out more about the Ivan Milat Backpacker Murders on Wiki
Honorable Australian True Crime Horror Movie Mentions
- 100 Bloody Acres (2012) 3.5/5
- Berlin Syndrome (2017) 3.5/5
Dishonorable mention to:
Red Christmas (2016) because it is not so good it’s bad, I just didn’t like it. But see it if you like a film with no real story, inane characters, and taboo antagonists.
