Having arrived at the cinema expecting a classic attempt at the teen thriller/horror genre I found this film debut for young Australian all-rounder Tom Danger (Writer,Director, Actor, amongst other contributions) fitted easily into that genre but based on my interaction (and others in the premier night audience), the plot and denouement smoothly moved this into the space for a more mature audience as well. The simple but twisted plot holds together well with good performances from the cast which had a surprisingly low number of on-screen hours to their credit, with the exception of a number of mature roles and a solid performance from the young Alexis. No need to discuss the story line in more depth since the basics in the advertising are more than adequate. What is missing from the advertising invitation is the deceptive style in which Tom Danger brings those basic parts together, managing to keep the audience interested and wanting more, right up to the twist that I am sure caught 99% of us in seats unawares. "Lead Me Astray" is a solid debut entry for Tom Danger and holds its own even as a basic story, but the finessing twist of the film pushes it above that of 'just another' first film and bodes well for the future of this new Australian talent. I am looking forward to his next work.
