Not many Americans like films from outside the States, but THE LOCALS is one worth looking all over for. Sure its low budget but the story line is brilliant and will leave you guessing up into the very end. THE LOCALS is in a way like LOST if you miss a beat you will go into a tailspin. Greg Page does not say the full story at once but it is up to the viewer to make the connections before the end, if you succeed, congratulations, if not by the end you will. I found THE LOCALS to be more of a thriller rather then horror, I did not fear for my life or hide under a bed but it kept me on my toes. I did get connected with the characters, and felt badly for them, wanting them to get out of the Zone before something bad happened.

I will be hunting night and day for Greg Page's next movie, and as a filmmaker he has given me new outlook on how to make a brilliant low budget movie sill fascinating,

I've just read a review that slags this baby off and there is no way that I can let that particularly misguided reviewer have the last word. he accuses New Zealanders of bigging the film up and criticises the use of lighting and the acting - wrong on all counts, boy! I'm a Brit and I have no particular reason to pretend that a film from New Zealand is good if it isn't. BUT THIS IS WONDERFUL STUFF!!! Low budget maybe, low key for sure - but the film takes its time allowing us to get to know our main characters (pretty clichéd characters but convincing and effective nevertheless. It builds up a spooky atmosphere, allows us to slowly realize that all is not well. The beautiful scenery of the daylight becomes a mysterious place of strange shadows at night. Here is where the lighting works so well. Yes, lots of areas are deliberately over lit - making central occurrences stand out starkly whilst blackness surrounds in a claustrophobic manner. The graveyard is eerily lit - standing like a beacon of badness amidst the shadows. The acting is fine - certainly far better than some of its amateur origins might suggest. I would recommend this film for anyone whether they be a horror fan or a student of film-making on a budget. New Zealand just showed big bucks Hollywood how to make something scary!

"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!

I was already convinced after "The Ugly" in 1997, but "The Locals" proves it again: there definitely is some horror-talent active in New Zealand these days! This is another worthwhile horror effort from the Down Under region, far from great but with a lot of spirit and goodwill. Just as it was the case with "The Ugly", this films lacks originality and some really shocking twists but the story is compelling enough and the enthusiast acting performances from the young cast members help you appreciate it all more. The premise is like a more comical and action-packed update of popular films like "The Others" or "The Sixth Sense", handling about people that aren't aware (or can't accept?) the fact they're dead and who continue to perform their old rituals. Party teens Grant and Paul stumble upon a whole community of dead people whilst on their way for a surf-holiday. The idea of an entire outlandish town stuck in a time-paradox appealed to me very much but, unfortunately, no background is given and the script exclusively focuses on the nightly chase of the two guys. "The Locals" has a couple of genuine suspense moments, but it should have been more brutal and violent! There are lots of rough farmers with pitchforks, for Christ's sake! This could have been a slick mix of supernatural thriller and raw backwood slashers! Writer-director Greg Page showed that he has potential with this film, thus I have good hope that his future screenplays will only get better.

If Hollywood had made this movie (and smoothed out some hitches that presumably came with a low budget) the critics may well have been raving about it.

In many ways it could have been another 'The Others'.

Most of the acting is quite acceptable for a low budget horror movie; the photography is very well done and the script itself is ambitious and doesn't miss by much, which is saying something. Some of the foreshadowing is top notch.

Either way well worth watching and miles ahead of so much Hollywood horror pap!

As ghost stories go this was relatively original and will be appreciated by those looking for something different.

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

*** Warning, Spoilers Ahead! ***

I rent this film expecting to see another B-Horror movie.. but I'm pretty surprised with the plot here, however I agree that even in the night scenes (90 per cent of the movie) the dark aren't really dark. but besides that the film is quite simple, and leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions. Two friends takes the "wrong turn" in a common weekend trip and entered in an unusual kind of adventure, two 80's girls and a party that had happened just 20 years ago, a man who murdered his wife every single day, and a farm-man who woke up every day thinking that he will stop the "deja-vú" effect. This film is far away from a superb film, but still worth a looked. *** of 5!

I ended up seeing this after I couldn't get into American Pie 3 (which in itself was a blessing in disguise as the latter was awful). I won't outline too much of the plot at the risk of spoilers - two guys get lost in the middle of New Zealand in the night, run into a collection of people who are not what they seem etc etc. Its not really a horror film (very little violence or blood), nor is it really scary - it's more of a chiller along the lines of The Others or Sixth Sense. Obviously made on a small budget the film makes up for it with a great (if slightly predictable story) and great soundtrack. Totally recommend this to those sick of overblown, overhyped Hollywood trash

Very good movie. I really had fun watching it and just can't wait for the DVD to see it again!! The story seems a bit complicated at first, with several characters introduced at once and quite a lot of twists and turns, and you don't really see where it's leading to, which is a bit unusual for this type of movie. But you shouldn't let it put you off. The rest of the movie is a very fun ride, full of twists and surprises.

I really don't believe you have to come from New Zealand to enjoy it, like some previous comments seemed to say.. Looking forward to seeing what Greg Page will do next!

*SPOILERS*

This movie has clearly been influenced by 'The Others' and 'The Sixth Sense' and like these movies it has a low replay factor (first watch and then a second watch to go "ahhh right i'm in the know now").

I just wonder about the actual story though. It never explains why the head hick kills his wife and why she didn't just apologise. If a psycho with a knife asks you to apologise wouldn't you say anything to avoid getting your throat slashed? All of this could have easily been avoided.

'The Locals' certainly has a twist in it but i think that unlike 'The Others' and 'The Sixth Sense' it reveals itself too early rather than at the end. I also think that it would have been better set in America as American hicks would have been more interesting than kiwi hicks. There is also a bit too much running around and the effects are too much early eighties (maybe the fx guy was killed in the eighties lol) and there are moments where CGI is badly needed.

Now that's all the negative things i have to say. The good characters were quite likable and it has more thrills than 'The Others'. A very nice story which makes you think. I bet that Grant guy got over his dumping after this haha. Definitely a cure for a broken heart. Worth watching f'sure. 8/10

Paul (Dwayne Cameron) convinces his best friend Grant (John Barker) to travel to go surfing in the weekend. They meet two girls, Lisa (Aidee Walker) and Kelly (Kate Elliot), and they invite Paul and Grant for a party. They take a short cut over an old blocked bridge and Paul loses control of the car and hits off-road. They decide to ask for help to the locals, and they find that they are in an evil place.

"The Locals" is a promising story, but with many flaws in the screenplay since the beginning. For example, Paul and Walker leave the city early in the morning (Grant is sleeping) for a weekend, and they reach the shortcut in the night. Therefore, they should return on the next day to come back for the next week. Why the ghosts are trapped on that county? There is no explanation in this regard. How did those two punks die? It seems to be with the explosion of their cars, but before or after chasing Lisa and Kelly? Why Lisa and Kelly went to the party again? Why none of the ghosts destroyed the bones of the evil spirit, if they have capacity of shooting and interfere with the life of real people? Why the evil spirit have followers? Anyway, I like this type of movie and it is a forgettable entertainment. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "A Cidade Maldita" ("The Dammed City")

THE LOCALS is a low-budget, quasi-horror flick that is a perfect fit for the CHILLER channel, which is where I ran into it. Two New Zealand guys are out for a joy ride and run into two hot chicks. The boys make the mistake of following the girls into what appears to be a lost land, possibly the Limbo of the Bible. A gray-haired gent with supernatural powers appears to be the ruler, and once you're there, there's no going back. Not that the boys don't try. The film features a no-name cast and it is all rather low-key, but somehow THE LOCALS manages to work. It may vaguely remind some of you of THE HILLS HAVE EYES or SILENT HILL. I am also reminded of a quirky little number with Chad Lowe or someone like him attempting to bring his gal back from hell, which was based on an old Greek legend that also served as the basis for a very strange Robin Williams flick, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME. Recommended for suspense and horror film buffs.

"The Locals" is a chilling film that is most effective if you watch it with no expectations or knowledge of its content. As a result, I'll say very little about the plot other than it centres around two young friends, Grant and Paul, who are on holiday to surf. Unfortunately, things don't work out quite as they expected when they meet two young girls, Kelly and Lisa.

This atmospheric film has impressive production values for such a low budget movie and it definitely hits the mark. The cast are excellent and the main characters are likable.

7 out of 10. An unpredictable and pleasant surprise.

This is an above average script - compelling at times - but it's let down by uninspired directing and merely adequate acting . If it had been made by M. Night Shyamalan it would have been an absolute blinder, but as it was so many potentially chilling scenes were just wasted opportunities (all "the Locals" appearing out of the dark, Grant hiding in the kitchen, Paul's dawning understanding in the ditch). The rock soundtrack doesn't help either; they're good tunes, but they're not exactly subtle - that all important suspense is killed off once and for all. This is one situation where a Hollywood remake might actually be a good thing.

I thought the LocaLs was going to be a sad B-Grade Kiwi horror but it turned out to be the wickedest New Zealand movie ever. I particularly like Dave Gibson's role as Nev the 80's bad guy zooming round in a metallic purple (Ford Escort?). It was ace, his voice is so growly and deep and his kiwi accent is just so ...local. I was a bit worried about the acting from John Barker and Dwayne Cameron at first but as the movie progressed I just started to feel for them...I mean they were just city boys aye? By the time Paul was being forced to dig up those bones I just wanted to jump in there and help him. Awesome. I want to congratulate Dave Gibson in particular I thought he was cracker.

On many occasions, I buy Anchor Bay DVD's sight unseen. I trust them that much. But, thankfully, I did not buy The Locals. Despite the company's reputation and all of the glowing reviews, I didn't buy it. And I am very happy that I saved myself some money because I didn't like it. I'll admit, I'm in the minority on that because most everyone seems to love it. I just found it to be okay. The storyline was just okay, the acting was just okay (Dwayne Cameron was particularly good though, when not trying to be funny), and there were no effects to speak of. Once again, I think I didn't dig the movie because I felt nothing for the characters. Charisma can go a long way in a movie like this, and none of the actors had that. The film itself certainly had no scares and no atmosphere. I just never felt any kind of dread. And that is needed in a horror film of this type. I can see The Locals working better as a short story than it did as a movie.

Two friends hit the road for a surfing trip and decide to take a short-cut when night falls to speed up their journey.On their way they meet a couple of girls with a fast car and are invited to a party.In the following car race,the guys crash their car and go looking for help.They approach a farmhouse but as they look in the window,they see someone being murdered.Now the friends are on the run from the locals who want to kill them."The Locals" is a major disappointment.The film plays like the cross of "Deliverance" and "The Sixth Sense",but as an avid horror fan I found it dull and suspenseless.The locals are neither scary nor menacing.The photography is good and there are some creepy locations,but the absence of suspense is hard to forgive.The director shows some potential,so hopefully his next horror project will be more intense than unexciting "The Locals".5 out of 10.

Scary movies, usually have a low budget. This one must have been one of these. The Film team or the director must have thought the wrong way, Because when its dark, it is dark, and not lighten up like every single object was. There is a scene when its totally dark outside, both the two girls and boys move inside a house. Inside you see this window blending your eyes ,because its so lighten up, Like this scene was shot during the day, when it should have been shot at night.

The story was however OK. But the movie got totally ruined because of useless filming.

/ Andreas.

I saw this film because I recognised some of the actors, and was quite impressed with Dwayne Cameron's acting. I can't say the same for everyone - Grant's character wasn't as convincing at the beginning - but it may be there was more focus on the plot at the beginning than development of character. Especially Paul and Grant's friendship, it seemed a little strange at first, but it ended up being the focus of the ending - which was a great scene!. I was also impressed with the camera work, shots, and editing which all added to the feeling of mystery and thrill. The storyline may have been slightly copycat but there was some great Kiwi spirit added in there which made it even more special. Hey, a movie that mentions the film Lord of the Rings has got to be ahead of it's time, eh!

If only because, in this movie,you are told that you are allowed not to praise "lord of the rings" (the movies) to the skies ,it had to be made. It will certainly not go down in fantasy and horror movies history but it's made with care and respect for the audience ,with special effects kept to the minimum.The screenplay mixes living dead with vampire curses and manages to remain interesting throughout.The story takes place in the space of one night and is rather short so you won't have time to get bored .The exhumation is particularly frightening.Even the aerial shots ,at the beginning and at the end ,make sense.Of course ,there is the city boys/country bumpkins cliché which is as old as the hills (remember "2,000 maniacs" in the sixties or "texas chainsaw massacre " in the seventies) ,but it's the rule of the game.

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.

Methinks all the superlative comments for the flick is the result of nationalistic pride, cause it sure isn't because the film is as "awesome" or "super duper great" as all the Kiwis commenting make it out to be. At the most, THE LOCALS is okay. It's sometimes too amateurish. The acting is subpar, the script is pretty silly, and the direction ranges from okay to head-shakingly bad. The lighting, in particular, is just awful. Most of the film takes place at night, and you would think this is great for mood, but not so here. Completely useless lighting. Night is basically day, what with all the brightness. Their use of day-for-night is also horrendous. Take the kitchen scene early in the film. It's supposed to be an intense, scary scene, but it looked like a stage at a High School play. Did these Kiwis just decide to light EVERYTHING? I think so. Every single scene is lit to within an inch of its life. And it's not even good lighting; the mentality seems to be, "Put more light on it! More! More!" No creativity at all. Just grunt work.

Conclusion: If a film is made in a country not known for its films, have doubt when the only people throwing out the superlative comments are ALL from that country/part of town. That's a major tip off right there.

My score: 4/10 (just because I like cheap, schlocky horror films like this)

Well, I have to admit I was a little disappointed in this movie. The story is certainly original, but there is little in the way of visuals or built up tension to hold the interest. The best shots in the movie are over after the opening titles.

The story centers around two young men who pack up for a weekend getaway filled with surfing and partying. After following two girls down a dirt road to a party, the youths find themselves in a ditch and requiring some help to get unstuck. A peek into a farm house window makes them witnesses to a murder and puts them directly in harm's way as they are pursued by a strange bunch of the town's "locals".

I was expecting something different after reading the back of the box. I guess I was looking forward to some sort of a degenerate red-neck type romp filled with cannibal killers or at least a few deformed freaks. It turns out that this is actually a ghost story with more than one (mildly) surprising twist. The acting is not first rate, the dialog is unnatural in places and the lighting ruins the night setting illusion. There's a whole lot of long shadows considering there's no street lights in the middle of the country and the sky seems devoid of a moon.

The relationship between the two principle characters is just not believable; none of the dialog really sells it to the audience. The ending is not bad though, and does manage to help the film recover from some of these earlier flaws.

If you're a fan of the genre, you might see something here you'll like. This would be a good movie choice for someone who isn't looking for anything too scary.

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.

The plot: Two friends go on a vacation to a New Zealand countryside where they encounter two women who offer them to go to a party. After their vehicle gets jammed on the roadside they decide to stroll the area looking for assistance when they stumble upon seeing a grisly murder inside a house. When the killer sees them through the window he calls upon his "undead" posse to track them down and join their zombie coterie.

There is nothing much to rave about in this movie, it is essentially an extended chase film with no real fright scenes in it, and doesn't appropriate for any character development. All the viewer is subjected to is seeing how the film's characters outflank the zombie clan throughout the entire film to compensate for the movie's obvious limited budget. Lack of special effects or action is what greatly hampers this movie from being a cult classic of any kind. The humor in this film will be totally lost on the viewer as well. It is neither cheesy or a stylish film by any means and the special effects with the evolved time lapse on the decayed corpses in the car were laughably awful. It was maddening near the end of the film to anticipate the unleashing of the clan and something that no casual or die hard horror film fan should have to endure. I give it a 3 for location the rest is trumpery!