Starring Brooke Smith, Glenn Fitzgerald, Marylousie Burke
Director Daniel Minahan
Category III
First-time director Daniel Minahan takes aim at the small screen's latest fad, and blows all its pretences apart.
Series 7 is the 'ultimate' reality show, where six contestants must kill or be killed. We have two-time champion Dawn (Brooke Smith), heavily pregnant and looking for one last win to retire on. Then there's a blast from her past, ex-lover Jeff (Glenn Fitzgerald, left), who is dying of cancer; a nurse; an unemployed blue-collar worker; a dance student, and an ageing conspiracy theorist. They must hunt each other down, with the last one standing being declared champ.
Shot on digital to give it that 'TV' feel, Series 7 pulls no punches; it is ultra violent and makes you want to watch and close your eyes at the same time. However, there is some brilliant but dark humour at play as Minahan stresses just how 'unreal' this reality can actually be. Complete with over-the-top voice-overs ('Has this gay, ex-pacifist the guts to become a real contender?'), Series 7 is not for the faint-hearted, but it hits the mark just the same.