From Wikipedia:
Merv (Alex Russell) is an ex-convict who is trying to make a new life for himself in 1970s Melbourne. He has found honest work and even becomes engaged to Paula (Jessica De Gouw), but the prospect of his new life is challenged when his foreboding and charismatic former cellmate James (Sullivan Stapleton) arrives in town and pressures Merv into going back to his old ways.
According to the Wikipedia article, the title comes from the Australian idiom “mad as a cut snake” which describes either insanity or anger so extreme you don’t want to get near it.
Before seeing this film, I had more or less dismissed Sullivan Stapelton as a limited one-tune film actor who usually plays the role of a sexy tough guy. In this regard, “Cut Snake” was an unexpected discovery. Because I refuse to give away the suprise part of the plot, I will only say that the film starts out with Stapleton seeming to be once again nothing but a mean tough guy determined to drag his former cellmate back into a life of crime. And that part of the plot was indeed tense enough to hold my attention. For some reason good versus evil just keeps me interested. But then all of a sudden there is another complication in the plot that I never expected. After seeing the film, think back to some of Stapleton’s behavior that initially did not make sense, for example his reactions in the night club. From this point on Stapleton comes through with some very successful emotional acting. He is indeed a “cut snake”.
Lately so many Australian films really hit home. And don’t forget to subscribe to Acorn TV to see lots of British, Australian, and New Zealand films, although I streamed “Cut Snake” from Amazon Prime.