Eric Bana is back as Aaron Falk. If you’ve seen the first movie, you know the drill: high stakes, repressed memories, and a landscape that basically wants to kill everyone involved. But here’s the thing about Force of Nature: The Dry 2. It isn’t just a carbon copy of the first film’s sun-drenched, dusty aesthetic. We’ve swapped the parched, cracked earth of Kiewarra for the lush, soaking wet, and deeply claustrophobic Giralang Ranges.
It’s moody. It’s damp. Honestly, it’s exactly what a sequel should be when the original was such a breakout hit.
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The film, directed by Robert Connolly, takes Jane Harper’s second novel and stretches it across the big screen with a sort of relentless, dripping tension. We aren't looking at a simple "whodunnit" anymore. It’s more of a "how did they survive each other" kind of story. Five women head into the woods for a corporate retreat. Only four come back. Federal Agent Aaron Falk is immediately on the case, not just because a person is missing, but because that missing person—Alice Russell—is his whistleblowing informant.
The Shift from Dust to Ferns
The first film was defined by the drought. It was in the name. Force of Nature: The Dry 2 flips that script entirely. The rain in this movie is constant. It’s a character.
You’ve got these towering mountain ash trees and dense ferns that make the bush feel like a labyrinth. It’s a brilliant pivot. If the first movie was about the absence of water, this one is about the overwhelming presence of it. The sound design alone—the constant squelch of boots and the roar of waterfalls—does half the heavy lifting for the suspense. It makes you feel cold just watching it.
Why Alice Russell is the Catalyst
Alice, played with a sharp, prickly energy by Anna Torv, isn't exactly a "likable" victim. That’s what makes the narrative work. In many crime thrillers, the person who goes missing is a saintly figure we’re supposed to mourn. Not Alice. She’s ambitious, slightly ruthless, and she’s got dirt on everyone else in that hiking group.
As Falk and his partner Carmen (played by Jacqueline McKenzie) dig into the disappearance, we see flashbacks of the hike. It’s a slow-motion car crash. You see the group dynamics fraying under the pressure of the elements and corporate resentment.
The cast here is stellar. You’ve got Deborra-Lee Furness, Robin McLeavy, Sisi Stringer, and Lucy Ansell. They don’t just play "colleagues." They play people who have years of baggage and power imbalances that the wilderness just rips wide open.
Does it live up to the first one?
People always ask if the sequel is better. Honestly? It’s different.
The first movie felt very intimate because it was Falk’s hometown. This one is more of a procedural thriller mixed with a survival horror vibe. Some critics have pointed out that the pacing feels slower, and yeah, it takes its time. It lingers on the mist. It watches the shadows. If you're looking for a fast-paced action flick, this isn't it. It's a slow burn. A really, really wet slow burn.
Connolly knows how to handle Falk. Bana plays him with this quiet, burdened intensity that has become the trademark of the character. He isn't a superhero. He’s a guy who is tired, observant, and maybe a little too obsessed with the truth for his own good.
The Realism of the Australian Bush
One thing the production got 100% right was the filming location. They shot in the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley. If you’ve ever hiked there, you know how quickly the weather turns. It’s gorgeous but incredibly deceptive.
The film captures that "lost in the bush" panic perfectly. There’s a specific kind of fear that comes from realizing every direction looks exactly the same once the sun starts to dip.
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- The Gear: The women aren't survivalists. They’re corporate execs in expensive outdoor gear they don’t know how to use.
- The History: The Giralang Ranges in the story are haunted by the legend of a serial killer, Martin Kovac. This adds a layer of "is there someone out there?" versus "are they killing each other?"
- The Flashbacks: The editing jumps between Falk’s investigation in the "present" and the deteriorating sanity of the hiking trip.
Breaking Down the Mystery
Without spoiling the ending, the resolution of Force of Nature: The Dry 2 leans heavily into human frailty. It’s less about a grand conspiracy and more about how small secrets can snowball when you're cold, tired, and scared.
The subplot involving Falk’s own childhood memories in these same mountains adds a bit of necessary soul. It links him to the landscape. He isn't just an outsider; he has his own ghosts in these woods. This is a recurring theme in Jane Harper’s work—the idea that the land remembers what we try to forget.
What to take away from the experience
If you’re planning on watching this, or if you’ve just walked out of the theater, here’s how to actually digest what you’ve seen.
First, watch for the parallels. Notice how the "civilized" world of the corporate office in Melbourne is just as predatory as the bush. The way Alice is treated by her boss and her peers is mirrored in how the group treats her once the GPS dies.
Second, appreciate the technical craft. Andrew Commis, the cinematographer, deserves a lot of credit. Shooting in the rain is a nightmare. Making that rain look cinematic rather than just messy is a feat.
Third, look at the silence. Bana’s best moments are when he isn't saying anything. He’s just looking at a piece of evidence or staring into the trees.
Practical Next Steps for Fans
If the world of Aaron Falk has hooked you, don't just stop at the movies.
Read the source material. Jane Harper’s prose is even more atmospheric than the films. Force of Nature provides a lot more internal monologue for the five women, which helps explain some of their more "questionable" decisions on the trail.
Explore the genre. This film is part of the "Australian Gothic" or "Outback Noir" movement. If you liked the vibe, check out movies like Mystery Road or the series The Kettering Incident. They share that DNA of "beautiful landscape hides ugly secrets."
Check the maps. If you’re a hiker, the locations used in the film are accessible. The Dandenong Ranges offer some of the best trails in Victoria. Just, you know, bring a map that doesn't rely on a battery, and maybe don't go with people you secretly dislike.
Watch for the third act. There is a third book in the series called Exiles. Given the success of the first two, it’s highly likely we’ll see Bana return to wrap up the trilogy. It moves the setting yet again, this time to South Australian wine country.
The brilliance of this series is that it treats the Australian landscape as more than just a backdrop. It’s the antagonist. It’s the judge. In Force of Nature: The Dry 2, the mountains don't care if you're a whistleblower or a Federal Agent. They just are. And that’s what makes the tension feel so earned.
Make sure to pay attention to the sound of the wind in the final scenes. It tells you everything you need to know about Falk’s state of mind. He’s a man who has found what he was looking for, but he’s clearly lost a little more of his peace in the process. That's the price of the truth in the Giralang Ranges.