Hunting Season (1986)

Hunting Season: Directed by Mario Andreacchio. With Cassandra Delaney, Peter Ford, David Sandford, Garry Who. A young woman running an animal sanctuary in the outback takes her revenge on a trio of kangaroo hunters who terrorized her.

“I had two movies called u0026quot;Fair Gameu0026quot; standing on my must-see list, so I watched them after each other in order not to lose track of one of them. The first one was an obscure Italian lethal-snake-on-the-loose thriller also known as u0026quot;Mambau0026quot; and this one is Australiau0026#39;s belated (unless I missed something) response to the u0026#39;Revengeploitationu0026quot; sub genre. Revenge thrillers were especially popular throughout the entire decade of the 70u0026#39;s, with highlights like u0026quot;Last House on the Leftu0026quot;, u0026quot;I Spit on your Grave, u0026quot;Fight for your Lifeu0026quot;, u0026quot;House by the Lakeu0026quot; and u0026quot;House on the Edge of the Parku0026quot;. These movies routinely handle about innocent women (preferably defenseless and fragile) getting harassed and viciously raped by a group of men (preferably perverted hicks and/or fugitive criminals) and then avenging themselves by taking justice into their own hands. The gritty atmosphere and gratuitous use of violence and sleaze in u0026quot;Fair Gameu0026quot; is pretty much prototypic revenge thriller stuff, but it nevertheless also remains an authentic Aussie movie, meaning the assaulters are bored kangaroo poachers looking for new thrills and the u0026#39;victimu0026#39; (Cassandra Delaney; the former Mrs. John Denver) is actually a very potent lady who fights back from the beginning and never really allows her opponents to get the upper hand. Jessica runs a wildlife reservation in the middle of the outback, so naturally thereu0026#39;s a vicious conflict when she bumps into a trio of insensitive and macho poachers doing some illegal kangaroo hunting on her territories. This film feels refreshing and innovative because the script doesnu0026#39;t unfold like the majority of 70u0026#39;s revenge thrillers. The interactions between Jessica and the poachers start off like a testosterone-laden showdown, but then gradually escalate into a merciless battle with humiliation, rape and murder. There are several highly memorable and deliciously exploitative scenes in u0026quot;Fair Gameu0026quot;, most notably the one with Delaney – in her white undies – tied to the hood of a jeep whilst it races through the desert. Her acts of vengeance during the climax are quite impressive as well and I guarantee thereu0026#39;s some impressive bloodshed to enjoy in u0026quot;Fair Gameu0026quot;. As often the case with Australian cult-productions (u0026quot;Outbacku0026quot;, u0026quot;Wolf Creeku0026quot;, u0026quot;Mad Maxu0026quot;…), the exterior filming location and wildlife images alone make the movie worth purchasing and this particular one also benefices from good music and stylish camera-work. The acting performances are more than satisfying and Iu0026#39;m pleased to notice the cast exclusively exists of native Australians. This isnu0026#39;t always the case, you know. Definitely recommended if youu0026#39;re a fan of the revenge movies.”