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Uninhabited (2010) Review

Uninhabited is a 2010 Australian horror film directed by Bill Bennett and starring Xavier Samuel and Olivia Wilde. The film follows a group of friends who decide to spend a weekend camping on an island off the coast of Australia. Soon after they arrive, they realize that they are not alone on the island and that something is stalking them.

The movie is a well-done horror film that is sure to send chills down your spine. The acting is good, and the suspense is palpable. The film’s setting also adds to the eerie atmosphere. If you’re a fan of horror movies, then you should definitely check out Uninhabited.

Harry and Beth are a couple who decide to spend a few nights out on an abandoned island located on The Great Barrier Reef. At first things seem great, the weather and scenery is fantastic and the wildlife is as exotic as you might imagine. Things start to take a sinister turn however when they find they’re belongings disappearing at night. With it being a tiny island this proves to be a real mystery and a rather unnerving one for the young couple. What will develop over the course of the movie is a shocking tale of supernatural shenanigans as they struggle to come to terms with what’s going on.

Supposedly based on actual events (don’t ask me how that can be) Uninhabited is an Australian horror flick that proved be a pleasant surprise.

The movie isn’t overly scary and nor is it gory in the slightest but the sense of foreboding and mystery that it manages to generate is really quite compelling. I watched this one wondering how they would wrap things up and i can say that the ending, even though it may not be as exciting as some other movies, worked perfectly and i didn’t feel as if there were any loose ends (apart from the ‘based on actual events fact’, it’s difficult to explain what i mean without giving out spoilers). SPOILER! Basically they all die so how would anybody know what was going on!

One thing worth mentioning about this movie is the stunning scenery. Truly gorgeous looking and a real breath of fresh air from the movies we’re used to watching here at Horror Chronicles. It’s very tropical looking and the cinematography shows it off at it’s best. Great stuff.

The cast is very minimal, most of the movie revolves around Harry and Beth performed solidly by their respective actors and the rest of the supporting cast are decent in their parts also. On this front Uninhabited is good.

The movies pacing can be a bit slow in parts, especially to start with and you’ll need to wait right to the end pretty much to find out just what exactly is going on. Whilst most of the time I didn’t feel like the movie was dragging out too much, there were a couple of moments were I thought some material was best to hit the cutting room floor. It wasn’t too big an issue though.

Uninhabited is surely a movie I’d recommend if you’re out for a great looking horror movie that has loads of suspense and mystery. Gore hounds had best look elsewhere however.

Synopsis

When a young couple, Tom (Joel Edgerton) and Lucy (Teresa Palmer), decide to go on a remote island vacation to reconnect, their idyll is shattered when Lucy is bitten by a snake. Desperate to find help, Tom leaves her on the island to get help, promising to return. But as night falls and a storm brews, Lucy starts to worry that her husband may not come back for her.

As Tom races against time to find help, Lucy’s fear turns to terror when she starts to believe that she is not alone on the island. With the darkness closing in and her husband nowhere to be found, Lucy must fight for her life against an unseen enemy.

Uninhabited is a suspenseful horror movie about the primal fear of being alone. With its tense atmosphere and palpable sense of dread, the movie will keep you on the edge of your seat until its shocking finale.

Movie Details

Director: Bill Bennett
Writer: Bill Bennett
Actors: Rhys Wakefield, Mia Wasikowska, Harrison Gilbertson
Release Year: 2010