SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

These episodes lack the subtle charm of the original film, and where the original was more than a bit creepy and haunting at times, the latest production fails to capture the same aura about hanging rock. On the other hand, the runtime is filled up with excessive slow motion which is very unnecessary in many cases, and the backstories of several staff and villagers which accomplish little else than to depress the viewers. It is nice to stick to one subject - the demonic timeless rock in this case - and briefly showcase incidental drama and injustice, rather than devoting full theatrical sequences to the very worst ills of human society in a story that I want to remember as MYSTICALLY chilling.

Like many other reviewers here, we had looked forward to watching this program after seeing the trailers on the BBC. My partner loved the original film but we only made it part way through the 3rd episode before giving up on it. The music was intrusive, the editing made the whole thing seem disjointed & frankly, it was just one big disappointment. Some might enjoy it, even see merit where we saw none but we cannot recommend spending any time ploughing through this program.

I was so looking forward to this adaptation and I tried to sit through it however I could not endure the first episode. The story is dull, the music is awful and the show trying to be modern and cool simply did not work! It's just wrong. Don't waste your time.

A lot of misjudged decisions in this version. Even the opening shot seems to be inappropriate here, along with other factors. I always saw Picnic as representing Colonial/Frontier life in contrast to the Bush, and sexuality which is supposed to be repressed/sublimated in the original is far too much on the surface here. There are some serious casting errors in this series, and there are also cack-handed attempts to bring in modern day style and to try and make it cool.This series owes more to Peaker Blinders and the recent TV version of Psycho - Bates Motel.A shame really since a lot of money has been ploughed into this series, but it falls flat on its face in so many areas from writing to acting ro costumes to music.