Fair Game is a Australian Ozploitation film directed by Mario Andreacchio, from a screenplay by Rob George. Considered an Aussie classic, it’s being released theatrically from July 8th for those wishing to revisit their golden youth, or who weren’t born the first time around in 1986.

Jessica (Cassandra Delaney) lives and works on a wildlife sanctuary in the Outback. Independent, yet aware of her precarious position as a lone, attractive woman in a wild and remote location, she nevertheless takes no crap when 3 bozo meatheads (Peter Ford, David Sandford and Garry Who) pester her in exaggerated style at the nearest store.

Having the temerity to stand up for herself despite being outnumbered wounds their fragile egos, and they make it their mission to stalk and intimidate her. While she displays unease and some vulnerability, it becomes clear she’s no pushover; at first matching their relatively low-key harassment (though sleeping naked with the window open isn’t a choice most of us would make in her place). When they grow nastier with each of her retaliatory moves, the battle begins in earnest; and Jessica means business.

“They hunted her…they used her…now they pay the price!”

Such is the dramatic statement of the original film art, along with a rendering of the scene that got the film its legendary status; Jessica, stripped half-naked by the men and tied to the front of their mutant truck ‘The Beast’ (Mad Max fans will love it) as it careers haphazardly across the arid landscape. Speaking of the setting, it’s impossible not to mention Oscar-winning Andrew Lesnie (who shot The Lord of the Rings trilogy), and the magic he creates from the vast yet stunning emptiness of the Outback. It’s not only incredible to look at, but an inspired metaphor for Jessica’s plight.

As with many classics, there’s a real sense of contrast in Fair Game; in this case the more than 3 decades since the original release sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. In the scene with the truck mentioned above there’s no rape depicted, though there doesn’t need to be; the threat of sexual violence and humiliation is indisputable. It’s similar to the way the men’s treatment of the sanctuary animals is more implied than actually shown. I found some of the scenes an uncomfortable watch; proof that often it’s what you don’t see rather than the blatantly visual which can impact the hardest.

The score is a pick n mix of a myriad genres; wild, rapid sweeps being made from one to another and to hell with what’s on screen. Having grown up in the 80s I appreciated the nostalgia trip, though the pace was a little hard to take. The acting is ramped-up and very over-dramatic, and rather than flowing, the dialogue presents as a series of individual, often slightly cringey statements, which gives it a strange awkwardness.

With few other characters to detract from the relentless 3-on-1 tension, it’s an enjoyable, if corny, watch. While its age is all-too-obvious, it’s never boring, and an excellent example of the eternal struggle for equality between sexes; while we’re  not quite there yet it is a reminder of the progress being made.

I’ll be honest with you here; at first glance I was convinced Fair Game was a movie I never finished watching after I happened upon it during an all-nighter (up on vomit watch after the dog got hold of a plastic peanut butter jar; also why I didn’t get to see the end). I was in that happy place which comes from finding a lost film you couldn’t remember the name of when I noticed the year of release. 1986. Only 30-odd years out. Ahem.

5 out of 10 Butt-Kicking Babes