Cactus is a 2008 Australian mystery-thriller film, it is the directing debut for Jasmine Yuen-Carrucan.

Synopsis

Cactus is a road movie centred on a kidnapping.

Plot

The movie begins with John Kelly pulling Eli Jones (David Lyons) from his city residence, drugging him and driving across regional Australia for three days. On the journey, John and Eli begin to interact and talk, as well as having a run-in with a rogue cop and encountering "Thommo", a trucker.

Cast

Production

The directing debut of Jasmine Yuen Carrucan was shot in New South Wales in the cities of Bathurst, Broken Hill, Cobar, Sydney and Wilcannia. Bryan Brown worked on it as executive producer.

Style

The film uses many of the classic road movie motifs such as break downs, fuel stops and long stretches of empty road, with a cinematography that is conventionally modern.

Release

The film premiered on 1 May 2008 in Australia. It was part of the Brooklyn International Film Festival in June 2008 and the Munich Film Festival on 28 June 2008.

Cultural references