‘Killing Ground’ Will Make You Swear Off Camping For Life

The Australian thriller will make you scared of the daylight.

Killing Ground
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Killing Ground

Killing Ground isn’t just an 88 minute suspense roller coaster ride, but a feasible life or death situation that could happen anywhere and at anytime. Tasmanian writer/director Damien Powers drew his inspiration for his first feature-length film, a “survival thriller," from true crime novels—aka real life murderous situations—causing the unspeakable actions in the film to feel like they could happen in your own hometown, no matter how safe you might think it is. 

The woods have long been exploited as a setting of terror for the horror genre, a few examples like The Blair Witch Project, The Cabin in the Woods and most recently, The Forest have kept audiences stuck to their theater seats. While all of these movies succeed in scaring each viewer shitless, Powers’ Killing Ground differentiates itself from the rest of the crowd by going where other woods thrillers don't dare: broad daylight.

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Normally, horror films use the effortless cover of night to create a landscape filled with the possibility of murderers, demonic spirits, zombies and beyond. Killing Ground steps away from that, refusing to hide in the dark and ruining whatever sense of security we thought we had in the the daylight of the real world. “We wanted to convey this feeling that there was nowhere to hide,” Powers revealed on why he decided to eliminate the security blanket of nighttime.  Not only does Killing Ground make you feel like there’s nowhere to hide, but also that you’ll never go anywhere close to a wooded area ever again.

Killing Ground starts off as a romantic New Year's getaway for Australian couple Sam (Harriet Drier) and Ian (Ian Meadows). After arriving upon an ominously empty orange tent and an abandoned car at their camping ground, the couple is forced to put together the pieces about their disappearance. As the disturbing story of what happened to the missing group comes together, Sam and Ian are thrown into every camper’s nightmare.

“The beginning of the film is really just a mystery of what happened to the campers,” Powers explained to Complex. “Gradually, the audience starts to feel more and more anxious”. That anxiety reaches its peak once shit hits the fan and the two perpetrators return to the campsite for the unsuspecting Sam and Ian. The couple finally begins to piece together what happened to their missing neighbors just as the men turn on them.“[The structure] creates a sense of timelessness,” the director explains. “You’re not sure when things are happening." Powers’ non-linear approach to the film adds an extra element of “what the fuck is going on” to the already suspenseful thriller, especially as the stories of both groups come together at the hands of their murderous adversaries.

Killing Ground

The film’s two bloodthirsty antagonists, German (Aaron Pederson) and Chook (Aaron Glenane), are first seen together in their own house arguing over German’s barking dog, just like two regular dudes on a Saturday morning. One of Powers’ goals was to humanize his villains, making them into people you might know. “I wanted us to understand them as people before we think of them as villains,” he said.

Before they begin wreaking havoc at the campsite the two men are seen creepily hitting on women at a bar and getting confrontational in the bathroom, just like those weirdos you purposely avoid every weekend at your local spot. “I wanted them to feel like people you might meet,” Powers explained. “You might not hang out with them, but I wanted them to seem real.” While we definitely don’t hang out with people like Chook and German, Powers’ realistic and humanizing depiction of them adds an even more significant layer of terror. These guys could be your neighbors, your coworkers, or even that guy that asked for your number last weekend. Even though you might see them at the grocery store every once in awhile, that doesn’t mean they won’t put a gun to your head.  

A true crime novel waiting to happen, the premise of Killing Ground could occur in your own backyard if you’re not careful enough. The realistic portrayal of the characters and events will have you questioning your every move from the moment you press play, and will put you on your guard every time you go out in public. Whether you’re stepping out for a grocery run, grabbing a drink with friends or even going on a camping trip (if you dare), Killing Ground’s message is clear: no one is safe.

KILLING GROUND will be released in theaters and available on VOD on July 21st. 

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