Gold (2022 Australian film)

Gold

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2022 (2022)
Founder	Anthony Hayes (director, co-writer, producer)
Key people	Anthony Hayes, Zac Efron, Susie Porter, Polly Smyth (co-writer), John Schwartz (producer), Michael Schwarz (producer)
Products	Survival thriller film
Parent	Stan Original

Gold is a 2022 Australian survival thriller directed by Anthony Hayes, who also stars alongside Zac Efron and Susie Porter. The film made its international debut on 13 January 2022 and became available for streaming on Stan from 26 January 2022.

Plot

Set in a dystopian near-future, the story follows traveler Virgil, who enlists local man Keith to guide him to a remote location known as The Compound. After traversing a brutal desert landscape, they uncover a colossal gold nugget but lack the necessary tools to extract it.

Following unsuccessful extraction efforts, Keith proposes that Virgil remain with the gold while he goes in search of an excavator, expressing doubts about Virgil’s survival capabilities. Virgil insists on protecting the gold himself; Keith leaves provisions and promises to return within five days.

As isolation and paranoia take their toll, Virgil’s physical and mental state deteriorates. While gathering firewood, he discovers a crashed airplane and constructs shelter nearby. He encounters various desert creatures such as a scorpion and a snake, losing valuable water during an attempt to kill the snake.

A mysterious woman arrives unexpectedly, confronting Virgil about his presence and accusing him of ulterior motives. After a confrontation, Virgil kills her in self-defense and later disposes of her body when a wild dog disturbs her burial site.

A sandstorm ravages the camp, inflicting serious injuries on Virgil and depleting his supplies. He meets another female scavenger who offers assistance but vanishes after mentioning her sister.

Using a radio, Virgil contacts Keith and learns he is close by. Despite this, Virgil succumbs to his injuries and is killed by wild dogs.

Keith observes from afar with excavation equipment but is shot in the chest by an arrow as he approaches the gold.

Production

In November 2020, Zac Efron was confirmed to star in the film directed by Anthony Hayes, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Polly Smyth and took on a producing role alongside John Schwartz and Michael Schwarz. Susie Porter was later added to the cast. The project was supported by Stan as a Stan Original within Australia, with Madman Entertainment managing theatrical distribution. International sales were handled by Altitude Film Entertainment.

Principal filming commenced in November 2020 across South Australia’s outback regions, including the Flinders Ranges and Leigh Creek. A sandstorm scene was captured during an actual storm, enhanced by bringing fans and sand to the set. During production, Efron suffered a broken hand but concealed the injury to prevent any shooting delays.

Release

In June 2021, Screen Media Films secured U.S. distribution rights following competitive bidding. Altitude Films sold distribution rights for all but two global markets. The film premiered internationally on 13 January 2022 before launching on Stan on 26 January 2022. It received a limited theatrical release on 11 March 2022 alongside video-on-demand availability.

Box office

Gold earned $100,197 across the United States and Canada and accumulated $229,689 worldwide. In Australia, it generated $2,741 from ten theaters during its opening weekend.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, Gold holds an approval rating of 65%, with critics commending Zac Efron’s dedicated performance despite flaws in the film’s overall execution. Metacritic assigns it a score of 48. The Guardian rated the film 3 out of 5 stars, praising its cinematography and Efron’s portrayal while noting the minimalistic storyline.