Five women head out on a remote hiking retreat but only four return, each telling a different story. A federal agent must find out what really happened before time runs out. A film by Robert Connolly, starring Eric Bana, Anna Torv, Deborra-Lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, Lucy Ansell, Jacqueline McKenzie, Tony Briggs, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, and Richard Roxburgh.

The film opens deep in a forest. Four women – Jill (Deborra-Lee Furness), Lauren (Robin McLeavy), Beth (Sisi Stringer), and Bree (Lucy Ansell) – stumble out of the treeline, drawn by the sound of an approaching vehicle. They look like they’ve been lost for days – exhausted, bruised, and wounded. Beth is in particularly bad shape, nursing what appears to be a poisonous spider bite. When a couple steps out of the vehicle, the women desperately plead with them to take Beth to the hospital. Suddenly, Lauren cries out, “Alice!” The group’s faces fall as the awful realization hits them – their friend Alice didn’t make it out with them. She’s still lost somewhere in the vast, unforgiving forest.

The day before, federal police detective Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) receives a garbled distress call from Alice. The signal is weak, suggesting she’s deep in the forest. Her voice crackles and cuts out, but Aaron manages to catch fragments: “Daniel knows. They know. It’s bad. You must-” Then the line goes dead. Frowning, Aaron tries to call back, but it goes straight to voicemail. He leaves a message, his voice tense as he asks her to give him another call when she can or sending a text if that’s possible. As he hangs up, a knot forms in his stomach. Something about Alice’s tone has him on edge – he can’t shake the feeling that she’s in serious trouble.

Aaron and his partner Carmen (Jacqueline McKenzie) speed towards the Giralang Ranges, where a group of women from Bailey Tennants Finances had gone for a corporate hiking retreat. When they arrive, they’re greeted by Sergeant King (Kenneth Radley), who’s heading up the search and rescue operation for Alice. It’s been over 30 hours since anyone last saw her. King briefs them on the situation. The bush is too dense for choppers, so they’re doing it the hard way – on foot. They’re trying to locate a hut where Alice was last seen. The hut, he explains, is believed to belong to Kovac – a notorious serial killer who terrorized the region years ago. Some of his victims were never found. The women think it’s Kovac’s cabin because they found a dog’s grave marked “Butch” – apparently the killer’s beloved pet.

A flashback reveals that Alice (Anna Torv) works as Aaron’s informant inside Bailey Tennants Finances. Aaron is after hard evidence of the firm’s 12 biggest clients – proof that Bailey Tennants is hiding their money offshore, facilitating everything from sanctions evasion to money laundering, slavery, and arms deals. But the company is cautious; all these records are hard copies, buried deep in their archives. Alice initially refuses, asserting that it’s too risky – digging through those files would draw unwanted attention. Plus, she’s terrified of what Bailey Tennants might do if they catch her. But Aaron is relentless. He reminds her of the stakes: if she doesn’t cooperate, she could end up in jail, leaving her daughter alone. Reluctantly, Alice agrees. She takes Aaron’s flash drive, but warns him he’ll have to wait – she’s about to leave for a corporate retreat in the Giralang Ranges. Aaron, impatient, insists she get the files before she leaves tomorrow.

FORCE OF NATURE, the sequel to THE DRY, brings Australian Federal Police detective Aaron Falk back to the screen in a new case set in the rugged Giralang Ranges. Written and Directed by Australian filmmaker Robert Connolly and based on Jane Harper’s 2017 novel, the film follows Falk as he embarks on a mission to rescue his informant and recover a crucial USB flash drive containing vital evidence.

While the film boasts solid performances from its cast and showcases breathtaking cinematography of Victoria’s mountain landscapes – including the Otway Ranges, Dandenongs, and Yarra Valley – it ultimately struggles to match the impact of its predecessor. The narrative is weighed down by numerous flashbacks to the protagonist’s past, which seem disconnected from the urgent rescue mission at hand. This disjointed storytelling is further exacerbated by Falk’s delayed entry into the forest, occurring much later in the film than one might expect.

The flashbacks serve a dual purpose: they provide backstory for Falk’s character while also attempting to misdirect the audience with the specter of Martin Kovac, a notorious serial killer. However, this approach creates more confusion than intrigue. In Harper’s novel, Kovac is explicitly stated to be in jail for his crimes, but the film leaves this crucial detail ambiguous, leading viewers to wonder if he might still be at large. Similarly, the novel’s mention of Kovac’s son potentially following in his father’s footsteps is omitted from the film adaptation, further muddying the waters.

Despite its potential, FORCE OF NATURE ultimately falls short of expectations. The slow-burn pacing and convoluted narrative lead to an unsatisfying and rushed conclusion. After spending over an hour watching the rescue team search fruitlessly for Alice, the film suddenly has Aaron venture directly to Kovac’s cabin – a location he apparently stumbled upon as a child. This abrupt resolution feels contrived and fails to provide a satisfying payoff for the buildup.

While FORCE OF NATURE offers glimpses of what could have been an engaging thriller, it struggles to find its footing. The film’s attempts to balance Falk’s personal history with the present-day investigation result in a disjointed experience that may leave viewers feeling underwhelmed. Despite its shortcomings, fans of Australian cinema and the detective genre might still find elements to appreciate in this flawed but ambitious sequel.

FORCE OF NATURE premiered in Melbourne on 21 January 2024. It was theatrically released in Australia on 8 February, by Roadshow Films.

‘The DRY 2’ mystery dredges up past trauma for investigator Aaron Falk
Eric Bana says the missing-persons case that his character tackles in the new mystery movie, FORCE OF NATURE: The DRY 2, dredges up a long-buried trauma from the past of Australian federal agent Aaron Falk.

The DRY 2 Cast On Exploring Guilt In The Australian Bush
The first adaptation of Jane Harper’s Australian crime-mystery novel, The DRY, quickly transformed into a cult favourite. While Australian films can sometimes ere too close to the ‘fair dinkum’ territory, the flick perfectly balanced a tight crime mystery, excellent character development, and sprawling Australian outbreak landscapes and soundscapes. Now, we’re finally being treated to the highly anticipated sequel, FORCE OF NATURE: The DRY 2.

Behind the Scenes of FORCE OF NATURE: The DRY 2
“One of the crew got 17 leeches in a day.” Director Robert Connolly, star Eric Bana, author Jane Harper and producer Jodi Matterson share the perils of filming in the Australian bush in winter. Now, working with the same production team, Eric Bana is back as the unrelenting federal agent – this time investigating the disappearance of a missing informant, played by Anna Torv.