This is a hugely watchable film with superb cinematography carried out by indigenous director Warwick Thornton no less. The film is called Sweet Country and Thornton fills the screen with beautiful, though sometimes harsh vistas of what most people would think, is a barren unforgiving landscape. But it is both sweet for the cattleman on their stations and sweet for the aborigines, the first occupiers of this country, though now frequently confined, as we see later in the film, to tribal reservation areas. However the land is no longer that sweet for indigenous man Sam Kelly, who towards the end of the first act kills a "whitefellah" in self-defence, whilst protecting himself and his wife, forcing him to go on the run, through his country.
Thornton also secures some terrific performances from both his indigenous and non-indigenous cast. Hamilton Morris is memorable as the chief fugitive Sam, whilst Natassia Gorey Furber offfers great under-stated support as his wife Lizzie. Sam Neill as their fair, but reticent and religiously inclined homesteader/ employer is always impressive. Dominating this feature, though not appearing until the second act is Bryan Brown, who as the local senior law enforcer, looks and feels like a force of nature, implaccably driven to capture and force a legal (or otherwise) reckoning with the duo on the run.
Unfortunately whether due to budgetary constraints or otherwise, the central narrative is somewhat predictable and lumbered with a few fairly substantial contrivances. It may have suited the story but I would respectively submit that even 90 years ago, cattle stations in the Northern Territory of Australia were way too large to be run, as we see here (in several instances) by a single whitefellah boss, a dog and a couple of blackfellah employees. And I can't recall seeing any cattle on these stations ... at all! The stations were way too large in area for one owner to pop over to another's spread (again, as we see in several instances) riding a horse at a virtual walk! The reality is that the distances, between properties (even today) were vast. This was the very area after all and around this time, that the "Flying Doctor" program came into being, as a means of providing medical treatment over great distances.
At the end of the second act Sam makes a decision to return to "civilisation", in spite of successfully evading the pursuing posse, due, we are told to his wife's pregnancy. Why? If the story timeline is correct, she can only be in the first month. I know that the film makers wanted to provide something of a twist to the innately predictable nature of the story up till then, but that suggestion, at that juncture, is quite baffling. They had plenty of time just to keep going.
Still, despite some weaknesses in the overall narrative, I can understand why both foreign and domestic markets will be drawn to this thoughtful Australian award-winning western. There is much to like, appreciate and reflect upon, while watching it.
Thornton also secures some terrific performances from both his indigenous and non-indigenous cast. Hamilton Morris is memorable as the chief fugitive Sam, whilst Natassia Gorey Furber offfers great under-stated support as his wife Lizzie. Sam Neill as their fair, but reticent and religiously inclined homesteader/ employer is always impressive. Dominating this feature, though not appearing until the second act is Bryan Brown, who as the local senior law enforcer, looks and feels like a force of nature, implaccably driven to capture and force a legal (or otherwise) reckoning with the duo on the run.
Unfortunately whether due to budgetary constraints or otherwise, the central narrative is somewhat predictable and lumbered with a few fairly substantial contrivances. It may have suited the story but I would respectively submit that even 90 years ago, cattle stations in the Northern Territory of Australia were way too large to be run, as we see here (in several instances) by a single whitefellah boss, a dog and a couple of blackfellah employees. And I can't recall seeing any cattle on these stations ... at all! The stations were way too large in area for one owner to pop over to another's spread (again, as we see in several instances) riding a horse at a virtual walk! The reality is that the distances, between properties (even today) were vast. This was the very area after all and around this time, that the "Flying Doctor" program came into being, as a means of providing medical treatment over great distances.
At the end of the second act Sam makes a decision to return to "civilisation", in spite of successfully evading the pursuing posse, due, we are told to his wife's pregnancy. Why? If the story timeline is correct, she can only be in the first month. I know that the film makers wanted to provide something of a twist to the innately predictable nature of the story up till then, but that suggestion, at that juncture, is quite baffling. They had plenty of time just to keep going.
Still, despite some weaknesses in the overall narrative, I can understand why both foreign and domestic markets will be drawn to this thoughtful Australian award-winning western. There is much to like, appreciate and reflect upon, while watching it.