A new wave of original horror is resonating on a massive scale thanks to breakout hits like Obsession and Weapons, but one country doing a lot of heavy lifting in this regard is Australia. Australian horror films like Talk to Me, Leviticus, and Bring Her Back have broken through on a global scale, with fresh ideas and bold styles, and now Kick On is punching its way onto the scene following a premiere at TIFF’s Midnight Madness program.
Directed by Nick Kozakis, Kick On blends hefty amounts of gore and tension with intense fight sequences worthy of a John Wick film. Zeroing in on a group of friends on a night out in Melbourne, things go awry after the group “kicks on” (continues the party) at a volatile drug lord’s den, where things spiral out of control and descend into bloody madness.
While on the red carpet at TIFF for Kick On’s premiere, Kozakis and cast members Markella Kavenagh, Nikolai Nikolaeff, Ras-Samuel, Nikita Chronis, Kaitlyn Boyé, Julian Weeks, Lana Golja, and Finola Xie explained how their film adds something new to this fresh wave of Gen Z horror, which scenes will have audiences squirming in their seats, and what films they would kick on with after watching Kick On.
'Kick On' Kicks Into the Action Horror Gear
"We Just Wanted To Create a Horror That Would Just Punch People in the Face..."
- The Direct: "Australian horror is really having a moment. We've had Talk to Me, Bring Her Back, and Leviticus. Now we have Kick On. How do you think this movie adds to that wave of fresh Australian horror, and how do you think it's unique?"
Nick Kozakis: "I think what we've done is we've really kind of tapped into that action horror. It's something that I haven't seen really tackled on our scale. The movement that you've said has just been so inspiring, and it's kind of opened the doors for a lot of us. We just kind of wanted to create a horror that would just punch people in the face, and that's what we're trying to do."
Markella Kavenagh: "I would say something that I really love about this particular crew, and something that I hadn't seen done was in the genre of horror and action. I think seeing how much people did in the craftsmanship that goes into making a film and the team effort that really they come together to make something, whether it be props, production design, everyone just pulled all the stops to bring this film and this story to life."
Nikita Chronis: "It's definitely part of the moment in terms of Australian horror at the moment. I personally think the reason as to why it's taking off so strongly in Australia is because Australians like to have fun. They love the action-packed films. They love that thriller aspect. With 'Kick On', you get all of that and more. It's just like it doesn't stop, it's quite relentless. And I think what's so alluring about that for a lot of people is that you want to see filmmakers that are willing to go there. And you know, our director here, Nick Kozakis, was a person who was willing to go there. Obviously, the writing too, but I think that's what people really resonate with. It's just seeing groundbreaking and sort of boundary-pushing directors and filmmakers who are willing to push the envelope."
- The Direct: "What can you tease as maybe the scariest scene that audiences will experience, or what was the scariest part for you to film?"
Nick Kozakis: "So the most fun and hectic scene is the elevator sequence. So that was really hectic because you've got to shoot like a whole fight sequence in this confined space, and that made me a little nervous, but it turned out awesome"
Ras-Samuel: "There's a few f**k me moments. Nick is all about ‘more is more’, and he doesn't hold back on anything. There's a scene in there. I don't want to spoil it, but something that happens to me that is probably like the scariest thing in the film."
Nikolai Nikolaeff: "When [the audience] is going to see 'the moment', about five minutes later, they're going to see another one, and then another one, and another one."
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