Eric Bana is back in this Australian detective mystery inspired by Jane Harper’s novels. I enjoyed the first film, The Dry, which follows Bana’s character, Detective Aaron Falk, as he looks into the mysterious death of his childhood friend during a harsh drought in a small farming town a few hours from Melbourne. In the sequel, Force of Nature: The Dry 2, the action moves to the lush, mountainous rainforest of the Victorian Alps. This time, Falk is on the case of a corporate retreat that goes awry, where one woman goes missing in the wilderness.

Aussie filmmaker Robert Connolly is back as the writer/director, and these films share a common thread where the mysteries are linked or share parallels with Falk’s childhood trauma. The movie alternates between the interactions of Falk and his no-nonsense partner Carmen (Jacqueline McKenzie) and the tense dynamics among the five women who are always bickering on their hike.

While it’s not unusual for people to go missing in the wild, the twist here is that the missing woman, Alice (Anna Torv), is an [reluctant] informant working with the federal police. I said reluctantly, as she only agreed to be a whistleblower when agents discovered she had broken the law at the company that’s suspected of nefarious schemes. As if that weren’t complicated enough, Connolly also delved into Falk’s past as a teenager via a series of flashbacks when he went hiking in those same forest with his parents.

It’s a bit of a bummer that we get less screen time with Bana since the focus shifts more to the five women, with Jill (Deborra-Lee Furness) leading the pack, who is a company executive married to the big boss. Richard Roxburgh appears briefly as the shady CEO threatening Falk. What’s intriguing is that all the women, portrayed by Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, and Lucy Ansell, come from different ages and backgrounds. Each character gets enough screen time telling the story from their point of view, but some are definitely more engaging than others.

Honestly, I find the interactions among the women a bit irritating at times. I get that it’s intended to be that way, but I was really hoping their journey would be less of a drag. Plus, there’s this subplot about a serial killer lurking in the woods that’s supposed to ramp up the suspense, but it really doesn’t contribute much to the overall story. Alice stands out as the most intriguing character in the group, and Torv (who was fantastic in season 1 of The Last of Us) portrays a complicated working mom trying to make the right choices. While she may not be the most likable person, you can’t help but empathize with her as the truth begins to unravel.

Bana is fantastic as usual, particularly when playing a character with inner turmoil. The narrative delves into the murky aspects of crime and whether Falk oversteps moral lines by pushing Alice to collect information, even going as far as confronting her in front of her daughter at her private school. Of course, he feels somewhat guilty about Alice’s disappearance and wonders if he’s being too harsh with her, which puts him at odds with Carmen, who believes that any potential witness is fair game.

The Dandenong Ranges National Park in Victoria is definitely one of the film’s standout features, hence the title. Nature sure is a force to be reckoned with; the raw wilderness is beautiful but can be beastly as well. DP Andrew Commis really nails the unpredictability of nature with his moody and atmospheric cinematography.

I can’t help but laugh at the title The Dry 2, especially since it mostly takes place in a wet and damp environment. I’m curious if they’ll choose another weather-themed setting for the next movie, maybe during a wildfire or monsoon season? Even though this one isn’t quite as good as the first movie, I still enjoy a good mystery, so it’s definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre. There is still plenty to recommend it, and the ending still manages to surprise me in a good way.

Have you seen THE DRY or THE DRY 2? Let me know what you think!