Carnifex

A cute little creature horror. Carnifex is a very simple film, a less-is-more affair that keeps its monster hidden until the very end and builds up the tension with familiar tricks. If you don't like core horror films then there's nothing to see here, but Lahiff does a pretty decent job with the little material he has.

After the forest fires in Australia, some wildlife preservationists try to map out how native species are coping in their renewed habitats. They hire a camerawoman to film their work, hoping to bring a little attention to their goals. With less forest to go around, some thought-to-be-dead species are finding their way back into the public eye, and not all of them are gentle.

The setting is nice and the actors do a solid job, which really helps the first hour of the film. The tension slowly builds, but it's hardly the first film to pull this feat and Carnifex has little to set itself apart from similar films. The finale delivers, but again, fails to make a real impact. Solid horror filler.