Australian cinema has a rich history of exploring the darker corners of human nature through crime movies. In fact, the Australian crime movie The Story of the Kelly Gang, released in 1906, was the world’s first full-length narrative feature film. From the sunburned outback to the shadowy corners of the suburbs, Australian filmmakers have consistently delivered movies that are as raw as they are riveting, as they explore societal issues.
From true crime cases to character studies, Australian crime movies vary greatly. This list highlights the ten best Australian crime movies. From the toxic family dynamic in The Boys to neo-Nazi skinhead gangs in Romper Stomper, these movies left their mark on the industry and audiences.
10 ‘The Boys’ (1998)
Directed by Rowan Woods
The Boys follows Brett Sprague (David Wenham) as he returns home to his mother and brothers in suburban Sydney after being released from prison. Brett quickly regains his position as the leader of the family, which disrupts the family’s dynamic and causes tensions between the family members. After arguments with their mother and girlfriends, the brothers are filled with rage and Brett influences them to plan and commit a heinous crime, which leaves their lives irrevocably shattered.
The Boys is based on a play influenced by the 1986 real life murder of Anita Cobby. The Boys‘ portrayal of toxic masculinity is both intense and realistic, especially through Brett, who creates a cycle of fear, manipulation, and escalating violence in order to assert dominance over his brothers. The Boys utilizes a slow-burn tension, and focuses on psychological dread, which might not be for everybody, but it works so well for a movie exploring toxic masculinity and family dysfunction.
9 ‘The Stranger’ (2022)
Directed by Thomas M. Wright
The Stranger follows Mark (Joel Edgerton), an undercover police officer, who infiltrates the life of Henry Teague (Sean Harris), a suspect in a long-unsolved child abduction case, by introducing himself to Henry on a long bus ride. Mark poses as a member of a criminal organization to gain Henry’s trust and get closer to him. As their relationship and the trust deepen, Mark is forced into a complex web of deception and manipulation as Henry becomes very unpredictable.
The Stranger
uses a slow-burn narrative to raise psychological tension and maintain suspense.
The Stranger is based on the murder investigation of Daniel Morcombe and a non-fiction book detailing the investigation. The atmosphere of The Stranger is tense and nerve-wrecking, especially with the high stakes of Mark blowing his cover. The Stranger uses a slow-burn narrative to raise psychological tension and maintain suspense. Edgerton and Harris both give strong performances. Edergton masterfully conveys the emotional burden and moral ambiguity of the sting operation, while Harris brings a chilling presence to the screen.
WATCH ON NETFLIX
8 ‘The Square’ (2008)
Directed by Nash Edgerton
The Square follows Raymond (David Roberts) and Carla (Claire van der Boom), two lovers entangled in an affair behind their spouses’ backs. Raymond and Carla plan to leave their spouses and run away together, but they don’t have enough money. When Carla discovers a large amount of money hidden by her husband in the house, the lovers hatch a plan. Carla will steal the money and Raymond will hire an arsonist to burn the house down to cover up the theft. However, when the arsonist accidentally murders somebody during the execution of the plan, a chain of terrible events starts.
The Square
has a tightly woven plot that blends noir elements and suspenseful storytelling, creating tension throughout the movie.
The Square is a story that Joel Edgerton wrote in 8 years and shelved until his brother, director Nash Edgerton, picked it up. The Square was Nash’s debut feature film as a director, and Joel’s debut feature film as a screenplay writer. The Square has a tightly woven plot that blends neo-noir elements and suspenseful storytelling, creating tension throughout the movie. Some of the consequences and events in the third act may be a bit predictable. Yet, The Square is a thrilling exploration of moral ambiguity, greed, and paranoia.
RENT ON AMAZON
7 ‘Two Hands’ (1999)
Directed by Gregor Jordan
Two Hands revolves around Jimmy (Heath Ledger), a young and naive man who dreams of a better life. While on his job as a bouncer, Jimmy is approached by a local mob boss, who entrusts him to deliver $10,000. However, things go awry when he loses the money, leaving him heavily indebted to the furious mob boss and his gang. As Jimmy tries to retrieve the money to repay the debt, he is thrust into a series of misadventures and escalating trouble.
Two Hands might rely on some cliché crime tropes, but it offers a unique blend of crime drama and dark comedy with its witty script. This is only enhanced by Ledger’s performance, which makes Jimmy’s misadventures both engaging and entertaining. The dialogue in Two Hands is grounded and witty, making the movie more engaging. The performances of the supporting cast enhance the suspense and tone of the movie.
WATCH ON PLUTO
6 ‘Last Ride’ (2009)
Directed by Glendyn Ivin
Last Ride follows Kev (Hugo Weaving) and his son, Chook (Tom Russell) on the run from the police after Kev commits a crime. Kev is an abusive father in his thirties and Chook is a 10-year-old boy who is so neglected he cannot read. Throughout their journey in the Australian outback, Kev commits more petty crimes, and he neglects Chook even further. The movie follows two narratives, the narrative where Kev and Chook are on the run, and the narrative of the crime that sent the father and son on the run, told through Chook’s flashbacks.
Chook is the character audiences are supposed to sympathize with and through the movie, watchers cannot do anything but hope he survives everything he is going through,
The core of Last Ride is the relationship between Kev and Chook. It is a complicated relationship filled with neglect yet love. Kev is a fundamentally bad person. The movie doesn’t try to disprove this in any way, which may be a problem, because the audience cannot sympathize with Kev. Chook is the character audiences are supposed to sympathize with and through the movie, watchers cannot do anything but hope he survives everything he is going through. The performances of Weaving and Russell alongside the cinematography of the vast Australian outback leave a powerful impact on the audience.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO
5 ‘Romper Stomper’ (1992)
Directed by Geoffrey Wright
Romper Stomper follows Hando (Russell Crowe), the leader of a neo-Nazi skinhead gang, and his followers in blue-collar suburban Melbourne. The gang is known for their violence against immigrants because of the gang’s white nationalist beliefs. However, when a group of immigrants moves into their neighborhood, and they fight against the gang’s violence, the gang’s dynamic starts to crumble. Hando’s increasingly violent behavior entangles the gang into a cycle of violence with law enforcement, immigrants, and each other.
Romper Stomper is a controversial movie. Its portrayal of neo-Nazis has been criticized due to the possibility to inadvertently humanize extremists and glorify their acts. However, the portrayal of the neo-Nazi skinheads is critical because of the gritty brutal realism of their violence. The movie explores themes of racism and the psychological collapse of individuals consumed by violent ideologies. Crowe’s performance is another highlight. Crowe’s visceral portrayal of the gang leader gives the character a chilling presence.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO
4 ‘Snowtown’ (2011)
Directed by Justin Kurzel
Snowtown, also known as The Snowtown Murders, follows 16-year-old Jamie (Lucas Pittaway), a troubled teenager living in a dysfunctional family environment. When his mother becomes involved with John Bunting (Daniel Henshall), a charismatic and manipulative man who claims to protect the vulnerable from pedophiles and other offenders, after her boyfriend takes inappropriate photos of Jamie and his brothers, Jamie is drawn into Bunting’s world, as Buntin assumes a father figure in his life. As Bunting’s influence grows, Jamie becomes a witness, and eventually a participant, in a series of brutal murders.
Snowtown is based on the real-life “Bodies in Barrels” murders that occurred in Snowtown, South Australia. Snowtown explores themes of manipulation, fear, and power dynamics. The movie depicts how Bunting manipulates the vulnerable Jamie. The movie’s slow-burn tension and bleak tone emphasize the horrors of violence and psychological control. The atmosphere created by Justin Kretzel highlights the grim environment of the community where the murders took place. Snowtown is a movie that leaves a huge emotional impact after watching due to the nature of its subject and the psychological depth of the movie.
WATCH ON AMC+
3 ‘Chopper’ (2000)
Directed by Andrew Dominik
Chopper follows the life of real life Australian criminal Mark “Chopper” Read. The movie starts with Chopper (Eric Bana) in prison, where he wreaks havoc with his violent temper and erratic actions, including stabbing a fellow inmate. The movie continues to follow Chopper as he is released from prison while he is trying to reintegrate into society, continuing his violent ways while simultaneously seeking fame by exaggerating his criminal exploits.
Chopper is a very unique movie as the story is written by Chopper himself as Andrew Dominik adapted his non-fiction books about his criminal endeavors. The story being written by Chopper adds authenticity to the movie, giving it an insider’s perspective. Chopper is a character-driven movie revolving around the character of Chopper. This is further enhanced by Bana’s performance and his transformation, physically and psychologically, to capture the criminal’s mix of brutality, humor, and vulnerability.
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO
2 ‘The Proposition’ (2005)
Directed by John Hillcoat
The Proposition is an Australian Western set in the outback during the 1880s. The movie starts with a gun fight between the police and Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his gang. During the fight, all the gang members are killed except Charlie and his brother Mikey (Richard Wilson), who are captured by Captain Morris Stanley (Ray Winstone). Stanley offers Charlie a brutal proposition; to save his younger brother Mikey from execution, he must hunt down and kill Arthur (Danny Huston), his older brother and the violent leader of their gang, within nine days. Charlie agrees to kill Arthur and sets off to find him.
The first thing watchers notice in The Proposition is the cinematography of the raw, desolate beauty of the Australian outback. The outback becomes a character in The Proposition as it reflects the brutality and harshness of the culture at the time and the situation Charlie is facing. The movie blends elements of Westerns and crime movies to explore themes of vengeance, loyalty, and colonial brutality.
1 ‘Animal Kingdom’ (2010)
Directed by David Michôd
Animal Kingdom follows 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (James Frecheville) who moves in with his estranged family after his mother overdoses. The Cody family is a Melbourne crime family who specialize in armed robbery and is headed by Janine “Smurf” Cody (Jacki Weaver), J’s grandmother, who uses her home as a base for the crime family. As tensions escalate between the Cody family and the police, J finds himself trapped in a violent power struggle, which only intensifies when one of his uncles is killed in a police raid.
Animal Kingdom provides a very intense story of a family dynamic heavily influenced by the weight of their illegal activities. The contrast between all the family members and J, who is estranged from them, highlights how the crime has been burdening the family, especially with the police involved more than ever. Animal Kingdom examines how crime affects family bonds and individual morality, as we see J’s transformation throughout the movie. The cast gives exceptional performances, especially Weaver, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for conveying the warmth and menace of Smurf.
RENT ON AMAZON
