In the desolate expanses of North West Australia, two highway patrol officers, Gary Bulmer and Brian O'Connor, find themselves stationed along an outback highway, anxiously striving to fulfill their quota for speeding citations. Their day takes an ominous turn when they spot Mick Taylor (/actor/john-jarratt), who, ironically, is adhering to the speed limit. The officers, fueled by arrogance and a need to exert power, decide to pull him over, falsely accusing him of speeding. In a brash display of ego, they belittle and insult Mick, issuing him a speeding ticket and ordering the destruction of his truck.
What begins as a routine traffic stop swiftly devolves into a violent confrontation. In a chilling act of retribution, Mick retaliates against the officers as they attempt to drive away; he ruthlessly shoots O'Connor in the head and inflicts severe injuries on Bulmer, including breaking his leg and stabbing him with a Bowie knife. In a horrific twist, Bulmer, in a state of desperation, experiences the grim fate of being placed back into the car before Mick douses it in petrol and ignites a fireball, leaving him to perish in the flames, a harrowing image of brutality and betrayal.
As these gruesome events unfold, a young German couple, Rutger and Katarina, sets off on their innocent adventure, hitchhiking from Sydney to the iconic Wolf Creek Crater. Camped nearby, their peaceful night is shattered when Mick arrives at their campsite, deceptively offering them a ride to avoid camping fees in the national park. When Rutger declines Mick's sinister invitation, the already volatile situation escalates; Mick viciously stabs Rutger in the back, incapacitating him. With twisted intentions, he binds Katarina and preps to commit horrific acts upon her. A desperate Rutger, despite his grave injuries, fights back, but is overwhelmed and decapitated in a shocking display of terror. In a sinister farewell, Mick crudely informs Katarina that they'll be spending "a nice long few months together," before choking her into unconsciousness, a grim menace that underscores his character.
As the night drags on, Katarina awakens to the grisly sight of Mick dissecting Rutger's body to feed his dogs—a brutal scene that sends her fleeing into the bush with Mick in ruthless pursuit, embarking on a sick game of hide and seek. At this moment, English tourist Paul Hammersmith unknowingly enters their deadly game as he stops to pick up Katarina, only to realize too late that Mick is relentlessly tracking them. In a tragic twist of fate, Mick's attempts to shoot Paul end in a devastating accident, resulting in the death of Katarina. Left grappling with despair, Paul insensitively covers her body with a sleeping bag, a haunting image of loss and survival.
Paul's harrowing journey continues as he races down the highway, desperately trying to flag down help while low on fuel. His hopes are shattered when he recognizes that the very truck he seeks is now commandeered by Mick, who has killed its driver. The suspense heightens during a breathless chase filled with pathos as Mick ruthlessly runs over kangaroos, an unsettling metaphor for the fleeting nature of life in the outback. In a dramatic climax, Mick forces Paul's vehicle over a steep hillside, sending it tumbling, but Paul miraculously survives the crash, only to taunt his assailant in a final act of defiance as Mick's truck barrels towards him, causing an explosive conclusion.
Exhausted, dehydrated, and on the verge of collapse, Paul stumbles upon an outback homestead where caring residents offer him food and shelter. Yet, this brief respite is shattered when Mick discovers their hideout, ruthlessly slaughtering the couple. Paul’s flight continues as he narrowly escapes once more, only to be ambushed by Mick, who swiftly incapacitates him.
Awakening in a grim dungeon immured in zip ties, Paul faces the terrifying reality of his predicament. Mick, enraged over Katarina's death, contemplates torturing him in a sadistic game of Australian trivia: a demented test where incorrect answers result in the loss of fingers. To survive, Paul resorts to his wits; he sings limericks and folk songs, even coaxing Mick into cheerful camaraderie while meticulously plotting his escape amid the chilling atmosphere of the dungeon. When faced with excruciating pain, Paul seizes an opportunity during Mick's quiz and manages to turn the tide, only to find the gruesome truth about previous captives lurking in the moldy corners of the dungeon.
In a nail-biting twist, Paul ultimately confronts a deadly Punji stick trap, resulting in a climactic moment where he inadvertently kills another victim. When he tries to flee, Mick finds him once again, brutally overwhelming him. Upon regaining consciousness, Paul discovers himself on the outskirts of a town, dressed inadequately, with a bleary collection of wounds, and a chilling note scrawled nearby that simply reads “LOSER.”
The unfolding tale concludes with a haunting series of title cards revealing the aftermath of Paul’s nightmare. Despite his attempts to report Mick to law enforcement, he finds himself wrongfully suspected in a string of unsolved murders tied to the Wolf Creek area. The psychological toll of his horrific experience culminates in a total mental breakdown, marking a tragic descent as he's deported back to the UK and confined to Ashworth Hospital for ongoing care. The film closes with an unsettling visual, as Mick walks away from the chaos into the expansive outback, rifle in hand, a lingering reminder of the terror that lurks in the shadows of the wilderness.
