''Landfall'' is a 2017 Australian

thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

film directed by Travis Bain. The film follows young couple Dylan and Maisie's attempts to survive a

home invasion A home invasion, also called a hot prowl burglary, is a sub-type of burglary (or in some jurisdictions, a separately defined crime) in which an offender unlawfully enters into a building residence while the occupants are inside. The overarching ...

that occurs in the midst of a

tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

. The film premiered on November 26, 2017, in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia, and was released on January 27, 2018.

Synopsis

A young couple in tropical Australia is trapped in their home by three fugitives carrying a mysterious icebox containing unknown contents, and they must rely on their wits and cunning to survive as a severe tropical cyclone looms.

Cast

* Rob Stanfield as Dyan *

Kristen Condon Kristen Condon is a film and television actress from Melbourne, Australia. Filmography *'' Sizzler 77'' directed by Timothy Spanos *'' The Second Coming'' directed by Richard Wolstencroft *'' Under a Kaleidoscope'' directed by Addison Heath ...

as Maisie * Daryl Heath as "Paul" * Bailey Stevenson as "Ringo" * Andy Bramble as "George" *

Vernon Wells Vernon Michael Wells III (born December 8, 1978) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the New York Yankees. Wells ...

as Constable Wexler * Anthony Ring as Constable Grace * Tony Bonner as Trevor (father at Number 17) * Shawn Brack as Kevin (son at Number 17) * Dell Beckman as Gordo

Production

''Landfall'' was largely shot in and around one location, a rented beachfront home in Innisfail, Queensland.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...

took place over four weeks in two two-week blocks, with the first block based on Vernon Wells' schedule and the second block used to film scenes not requiring Wells. All cyclone sequences and weather effects were a mix of

practical effect A practical effect is a special effect produced physically, without computer-generated imagery or other post-production techniques. In some contexts, "special effect" is used as a synonym of "practical effect", in contrast to "visual effects" ...

s and CGI special effects. Physical debris was thrown at actors during shots, with CGI used to depict the cyclone itself. The film was partly financed via a Regional Arts Fund grant and partly crowdfunded.

Release

MultiVisionnaire Pictures acquired rest-of-world distribution rights for the film and released it globally on various streaming platforms in 2020. A special edition region 1 DVD with director's commentary and other special features was released in North America in March 2020.

Reception and Awards

Dan Cachia of the ''Mr. Movie's Film Blog'' considered the film to be one of the best "

Aussie Aussie is Australian slang for ''Australian'', both the adjective and the noun, and less commonly, Australia. Pronunciation In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, the word is pronounced , hence the alternati ...

genre" films of 2017 and heavily praised its dialogue. Simon Foster, though critical of the "increasingly convoluted" plot, similarly described the dialogue as "

Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensemble ...

-esque" and favorably compared the film to Schumacher's ''Trespass'', commending especially the performances of Heath, Condon, and Stevenson. ''Landfall'' was selected to open the 2018 Oz International Film Festival (Melbourne) and won in the categories of Best Feature, Best Director (Travis Bain), Best Actor (Vernon Wells), Best Actress (Kristen Condon), and Best Supporting Actor (Tony Bonner). The film won the ASIN Award for Best Director (Travs Bain) and Certificate of Highest Achievement for Best Composer (Samantha Van Der Sluis) and Best Feature Film at the 2018 Australian Screen Industry Network Awards (Brisbane). ''Landfall'' won in the categories of Best Picture, Best Director (Travis Bain), Best Actor (Vernon Wells), and Best Sound (Samantha Van Der Sluis) at the 2019 Low to No Film Festival in Vegas.

References

External links

* * {{Facebook, landfallmovie 2017 films 2017 thriller films 2017 independent films 2010s thriller films Australian action films Films set in Queensland Films shot in Queensland Films about home invasion 2010s English-language films