Essentially an Australian rape revenge saga from the director of THE BABADOOK. I liked this one but didn't love it, finally just as many flaws as there are good things about it. It's very similar to another film about an Irishman hunting for British soldiers I saw a few years back; even a rip-off, perhaps, but I can't remember the title of that one. Thematically, the film is thoroughly interesting, the usual exploration of the evils of colonialism and the oppression of both women and Aboriginal peoples by the British. As a film, it doesn't work quite as well, mainly because there's no suspense generated so you don't really care about the main character's plight (it was the same with THE BABADOOK which was never as scary as it should have been). On the plus side it's very well shot with great photography, the unusual aspect ratio works too, and the performances are generally fine. But it's also overlong and would have been better with half an hour chopped out, I think.

It's 1825 present-day Tasmania. Clare is a young Irish convict forced to follow colonial British soldier Lieutenant Hawkins despite his brutality. She and her husband have a baby daughter. As convicts, they need to be released from service but Hawkins refuses to release the beauty. Hawkins has been stuck leading an outpost for the last three years and is desperate to get a promotion to Captain in a town a few days north. When he does not get the expected recommendation, the situation spirals into darkness.

This is an absolutely brutal film. It's not for the faint of heart. There are some very compelling characters. The place and the time is all over this movie. It's brutality is unflinching. Aisling Franciosi is amazing. The ending goes one place too many but I'm willing to accept it despite being over two hours long. Clare falling down in the street is a great climatic ending. The movie only needs to quickly wrap it up after that. It's the perfect ending but it does one more thing. I understand the wish for that one more thing. The tone fits better without that one more thing.

After Babadook, you'd be excused to expect another horror movie. But this filmmaker has other plans. And what intriguing and complicated plans they are. The story is really interesting and it does keep it real. With all the ugly faces it brings up. I am not sure about the evil character being "humanized", but I get what she is trying to say there too.

There are so many things, details in this well researched and well crafted movie, that I don't think everything will be seen the first time around. What you do have to go through (and I don't think this will get better with repeat viewing) are some very nasty and vile scenes happening to some of the characters you should care for. So this is anything but an easy film to watch. It is harrowing and it is draining. But in a sense it may also be "rewarding", if you consider the things it touches and brings forth ... every nation, every land, every country has their own fair share of dark history they probably don't like to be reminded of.

So tread lightly, be aware of the slow pace, but still brutal story(telling) ... and go on a dark journey ... Really dark!