Force of Nature (2024), directed by Robert Connolly

Federal Police detective Aaron Falk’s troubled past intrudes once more in this sequel to The Dry. The landscape again dictates the action, but this time the setting is remote mountainous bushland where a corporate hiking retreat has gone very wrong. Falk’s informant in a high profile case has gone missing and with a storm coming in the chances of finding her alive are slim. As with the books, the story is less strong than The Dry – rather too many co-incidences and dark secrets among the twists and turns and some of the dialogue is well dodgy. Fortunately, a strong cast carries the day with Deborra-Lee Furness making a welcome return to the screen, Anna Torv excellent as always and Jacqueline McKenzie an interesting professional foil for Eric Bana’s Falk.