Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

Stop me if you haven't heard this one before. Amiable twentysomething best buds Grant (the engaging John Barker) and Paul (the equally personable Dwayne Cameron) go on a cross country weekend drive down to the beach. The pair decide to take an ill-advised short cut by using an off-the-beaten path dusty dirt road. Naturally they experience car trouble. And of course they run afoul of a sinister bunch of lethal murderous backwoods hicks. So far, so familiar and by-the-numbers predictable. Thankfully, writer/director Greg Page masterfully pulls one doozy of a novel, startling and unexpected supernatural twist on this generic fright film scenario which in turn gives the movie a substantial lift out of your run-of-the-mill formula horror fare. To reveal more would spoil the tasty surprises to be found within this genuinely fresh, crafty and inspired little sleeper. The picture further benefits from the truly likable and well-developed main characters, Bret Nichols' gorgeously lush, polished cinematography, the beautiful, yet lonely, remote and forbidding sylvan scenery, Victoria Kelly's classy, moody score, the lively and enthusiastic acting from a charming and attractive cast, a funky thrashin' rock soundtrack, a steady pace, an eerie and mysterious tone which becomes more creepy and nightmarish as the film progresses, and even a very potent and moving element of striking poignancy. A really fine and impressive debut feature.

"The Locals" is one of the best movies from New Zealand that I have ever seen. A brilliant director and writer: Greg Page, and excellent new actors: Dwayne Cameron and John Barker. It's not like other horror films that I have seen and I've seen loads. The unusual location and the fact that it's playing in the dark is great. All the hide and seek in this film makes you wanna run with the characters. And Peter McCauley is so scary and untouchable. Why are the no more other movie from Greg Page he's funny. The commentary on the DVD is the best ever. Greg Page wants you to make listen him over and over again. First time I saw "The Locals" was a surprise for me and I'm sure for everyone who watched it. I like the idea of a farmer who has captured all inhabitants of the little town and only let them go when his bones left the area. BEST MOVIE EVER!

The Locals looked interesting enough but box covers can be deceiving and I didn't realize it was a New Zealand film and I'm not sure I've ever seen a New Zealand film and I must admit the hardest part about the film was catching everything they said in their accents (the DVD has no subtitles sadly.) Nonetheless despite a slow, cumbersome start The Locals turned out to be a decent little thriller with a ghost story twist to it not unlike the sixth sense (although not quite as well told.) Writer and director (fairly new to the scene) Greg Page creates a nice little eerie setting in the darkness to give you some cheap scares, and a fast paced, interesting storyline if not a little amateur at times. Still the story is unique and different although it has some predictable elements. John Barker who plays the lead role of Grant, the rather reluctant young guy, recently dumped by his girlfriend who goes on a surfing trip with his best friend who just wants him to get on with his life. Barker is quite intense and always has a stunned frightened expression on his face which is humorous and disturbing all at once. He's a good lead actor though and probably has a good career ahead of him outside of being a Power Ranger?? Dwayne Cameron plays the best friend Paul (Cameron is also a former Power Ranger and actually worked with Barker on several other projects. Perhaps they are best friends off screen as well because the two of them have great chemistry and you honestly buy their best friend relationship. They are good, young actors with a promising future I am sure and they both play the scared, tortured roles quite well. The rest of the cast....The Locals...so to speak all serve their purpose quite well. They are all genuinely creepy without being hammy or campy. I wouldn't say any of them stand out all that much in their performances.The reason to see The Locals is really the fresh story and the unique little twists and turns and the creepy New Zealand setting. For a nice little scare on a Saturday night you'll enjoy this one and the two lead performances are well worth your time. For an Indie horror film (and I've seen some ROTTEN ones as of late) this one kind of grew on me. It's quite short and the beginning is a little draggy and you might think the story isn't going to come together but it does and I think for most horror/thriller fans you'll find this one worth seeing. 8/10

Nice little Horror/Thriller from New Zealand that's a cross between the underrated "Dead And Buried" and "The Sixth Sense." It's a lot of fun with a twist ending. This is not standard fare like many other films that are set up from this kind of premise or if you read over the movie description. It really delivers in places despite a modest and small budget. Barker & Cameron play a likable pair of friends that go out to find a party and get more than they bargained for when they run into a pair of pretty gals. The friendship that they have shows throughout the film and you really root for them. The DVD has a VERY entertaining commentary by director/writer Greg Page. He is a riot. A nice surprise that's not perfect but an independent horror film shouldn't be. However, it's a rental that I'm glad I took a chance on. Check it out.