As any local filmmaker would attest, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get Australian people to go out and see Australian films. While there have been some stand-out success stories in recent years (notably Animal Kingdom in 2010), most under-nourished productions seem to go under the radar of the average movie-goer. What’s more, if a local film can indeed shed it’s niche tag and seal some placements in the mainstream cinema chains (recently we’ve seen Wasted On The Young and Griff The Invisible hit the multiplex theatres) their runs are usually limited to poorly timed sessions over two-to-three week runs. Therefore the DVD format offers a far more lasting and suitable foundation for overlooked local productions and the ideal format for something as wonderfully unconventional as The Loved Ones.

There was plenty of noise made about The Loved Ones upon its release last year in part for its ‘little production that could’ story and for its twisted take on the teen horror genre. If, like me, you missed out on it last year then the just released DVD needs to be in your viewing queue.

Written and directed by Sean Byrne, The Loved Ones centres on the plight of Brett Mitchell – Xavier Samuel -, an angst-radiating high schooler who is the unwitting object of obsession for psychotic classmate Lola Stone – Robin McLeavy.

We first meet Brett as he’s driving along a country road with his father in the passenger seat. Suddenly faced with a shirtless, bleeding boy in the road, Brett swerves his vehicle off road and into a tree, killing his father. Six months on and Brett’s in a waking coma of guilt and regret, buoyed only slightly by his understanding girlfriend Holly – Victoria Thaine. With high school wrapping up it’s time for the year end dance and when Brett rebuffs Lola’s seemingly innocent invitation to be her partner for the night, she and her father (played by John Brumpton with unsettling awkwardness) kidnap Brett and hold him captive at their own demented version of a formal.

Having set things up quite neatly and quickly it’s the kitchen sink and more from director Byrne with Lola and ‘Daddy’ promptly going to town on their prisoner with all sorts of sadistic torture rituals. Seriously, we’re talking hammers and nails, drills and all manner of kitchen utensils jammed, shoved and crunched into flesh. Byrne teasingly threatens the audience with the prospect of gruesome gore and just when you expect him to back off he goes even further than you anticipated.

Although that may sound like an Australian take on the Saw franchise or something equally brutal, The Loved One’s extreme violence is just that. It’s exaggerated and unexpected that there’s an odd comedic aspect to it. More shock and awesome than shock and awe.

The Loved Ones’ DVD package comes well rounded-out with a pile of extras for viewers to tuck into including the requisite commentary and trailers as well as some previous short film material from Byrne, Q&As with the crew and a goof reel. That’s especially good to see as it confirms that the film was made with enough light hearted zest to counteract the dark streak running through it.