Fair Game (Ozploitation Survival Revenge Film

 

Ozsploitation (or the rough and tumble flicks that came out of the Land Down Under as a result of the worldwide success of both George Miller’s Mad Max films and the Aussie New Wave of directors like Peter Weir) has experienced a frightening new surge in popularity thanks to doyens of culture like Quentin Tarantino and the indispensable Not Quite Hollywood documentary. Granted, even the lowest of these films has a nice ramshackle kinetic energy that their States-bound brethren mostly appear to be lacking. Now where does Fair Game fit in with this and just how tall does it stand among it’s peers? Allow me to be a voice of reason for the non-believers out there. This is a ton of fun, especially if you like your fun a bit on the dark side and replete with psychological endurance tests of the ugliest sort. Yessir, this is the Down Under variation on the scummy rape/revenge genre birthed from the wake of I Spit on Your Grave and its ilk. While Fair Game never hits the levels of sleaze and depravity that its predecessors achieve, you’re still in for a pretty rough ride.

   

Jessica pines for her partner while taking care of the animals and bonding with her dog at their outback ranch. Life seems tranquil enough until she crosses paths with a gang of swarthy poachers who are determined to make her their next meal in more ways than one. This complex human chess game evolves into all-out war as Jessica decides that it’s time to take out the trash once and for all. You’ve seen it all before, and you’ll likely see it again. The movie itself is a vile, nasty, lean and mean piece of work strictly adherent to the Straw Dogs/Last House playbook. Certain elements will feel like deja vu while the delivery itself carries a supercharge of sleaze that will shock all who come across it. This reviewer was impressed highly by the go-for-broke attitude expressed in the delivery. This is some serious skeeze, folks. Having only seen this film on the old Charter Entertainment VHS, Dark Sky/Camera Obscura brings Fair Game to vivid life with a beautiful new uncensored 2K scan replete with bonus features galore. This is a slightly longer cut, with even more cruelty and inhumanity for your viewing dollar. While I didn’t get the chance to partake of all the features, the interviews were rather lively and didn’t put me to sleep. Enjoy, you know you’re waiting for it!

 

Written by David, Comptroller of Your Last Scrap of Existence

Fair Game (2022, Blu-ray)
Mario Andreacchio
4 / 5