My first reaction to this Movieline clip from Justin Kurzel‘s The Snowtown Murders was “why don’t they just call it Shoot The Dog?” That suggestion (i.e., command) seems to encapsulate the sociopathic essence of Daniel Henshaw‘s John Bunting character, and it’s certainly easy to remember.

My second reaction: Lucas Pittaway‘s response to Henshaw’s intimidation is the exact same expression that young James Frecheville used throughout David Michod‘s Animal Kingdom, which Snowtown Murders was clearly made in alignment with. As I said on 2.19.10, my only problem with Animal Kingdom is Frecheville’s “too-subdued performance as the young lead, [which] to me suggests either retardation or a lithium overdose.”

The Snowtown Murders has a very decent 89% Rotten Tomatoes ranking, although the reactions of Lou Lumenick and Karina Longworth have given me pause.

Initially screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival as Snowtown, The Snowtown Murders opens today on IFC Midnight VOD and at Manhattan’s IFC Center. It will play at 9:30 pm on 3.15 at the Spielberg theatre inside LA’s Egyptian.