"Mystery Road" is a thriller (with film noir overtones) and a western rolled into one. It examines race relations in modern-day Australia, in particular those between the indigenous Aboriginal population and those Australians of European descent. It does so through the eyes of Aboriginal detective Joe Swan (Aaron Pedersen), who returns after a period of 10 years away to the remote small Australian town in which his daughter Crystal (Tricia Whitton) and her mother - Swan's estranged wife, Mary (Tasma Walton) - live. Swan is immediately thrown into the investigation of the murder of a teenage Aboriginal girl, whose body has been discovered in the outskirts of the town. His investigations soon yield a great deal of uncomfortable information, including police corruption, sexual exploitation and the possible involvement in the crime of his ex-wife and daughter (as well as sundry other local residents). The laconic detective has to contend with a complete lack of co-operation from his police colleagues and from the town's residents, who view any form of authority with suspicion and utter disdain. It all leads to a closing shoot-out sequence that is, for once, realistic and which is beautifully filmed. Indeed, one of the film's many strong points is its direction (by screenplay writer Ivan Sen). The cinematography (for which Sen is also responsible) is amazingly good - just about the best I have seen in any film. The cast too are terrific, particularly Pedersen and Hugo Weaving (who plays Johnno, a possibly corrupt white police colleague of Swan's). The only aspect of the film about which I have reservations is the plot, which does not seem to me to hang together. I may have missed something but there appear to be unexplained gaps in parts of the story. Other than that, "Mystery Road", which starts slowly before gradually building up to its dramatic conclusion, is an almost faultless film - and is certainly one that is worth looking out for. 8/10.
67 Reviews
Entertaining
bridon-792-52863515 September 2013
As usual with most Australian films, the story line is very different. The casualness of the style with the weight of the film being presented by the vision, missed telling me what was happening a couple of times. Left the cinema still answering the questions asked. Did feel I needed a bit more in the way of answers given to me though. Acting was excellent , very quickly lost my expectation of known characters roles & embraced the new story rapidly. The structure of town, people & their lives were simply & beautifully presented. The use of aerials helped cement characters & culture of small outback town wonderfully, as did the simple style of presenting different cultural landscapes within the one time. Great movie, will be watching again
A modern Twist of the Western Genre
TimMeade17 October 2013
There is much to commend in this outback-set crime drama from director, writer and cinematographer, Ivan Sen.
The first scene sets up the whole film most deftly: its depiction of the magnitude of the land at sunset coupled with the place name, Massacre Creek, instantly makes it clear that the vastness of the Australian terrain and inglorious, largely unrepented historic events will frame what follows.
Aaron Pedersen plays the police detective Jay Swan, an Aboriginal returning from 'the city' to his small and extremely isolated home town after a 10 year absence. He is estranged from his former wife, now an alcoholic making a hash of raising their daughter, and also the community in which he was raised. Not fully accepted by the white community either, he is the classic outsider forced to go it alone.
Swan is assigned to the case of a murdered Aboriginal teenage girl whose body is found in a state of some decay quite some time after her violent end. It probably won't come as a great shock to find that the rest of the local constabulary, all white and male, are not only indifferent to the crime but hostile to its investigation, impeding Swan at every juncture. As Swan battles on uncovering corruption, drug dealing and civic sanctioned child prostitution, he starts to shed light on the town's inherent racism and misogyny – there appears to be no one in the town of any authority who is either black or female.
The film is a modern twist on the western genre: the lone lawman coming to town quietly determined to see right is done. It is the sort of role Gary Cooper, John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart all handled with ease 60 years ago. Aaron Pedersen is a worthy successor to these Hollywood greats, compelling in his restrained performance, giving just a hint of the angst beneath his calm exterior but always in control of himself. In the main, the supporting cast is also strong – especially Hugo Weaving as a police officer of dubious integrity and an alluded to murky past.
Like all classic westerns the film's denouement is a good old-fashioned shoot-out. This extended scene is particularly well handled by Sen with tight direction and camera work – although his cinematography throughout the film is praiseworthy.
The film has a few flaws. Early scene dialogue giving the backstory is rather stilted – though this quickly settled down; the minor character of a buffoonish local newspaper reporter was both unconvincing and irrelevant – it was as if Sen felt, wrongly, that his film needed a little comic relief. And I was surprised at the amount of drugs uncovered in such a very small town. I'm no expert but I'd have thought the quantity shown would be enough to supply the whole of Melbourne – including its nearby rock festivals – for a year.
Ultimately, many of the film's plot strands were left hanging which was, ostensibly, rather untidy. But on this, I'm giving Ivan Sen the benefit of the doubt. There was no neat resolution to his film or the crimes it depicts, because there is, as yet, no resolution to the social issues he raised in a non-preachy manner.
The first scene sets up the whole film most deftly: its depiction of the magnitude of the land at sunset coupled with the place name, Massacre Creek, instantly makes it clear that the vastness of the Australian terrain and inglorious, largely unrepented historic events will frame what follows.
Aaron Pedersen plays the police detective Jay Swan, an Aboriginal returning from 'the city' to his small and extremely isolated home town after a 10 year absence. He is estranged from his former wife, now an alcoholic making a hash of raising their daughter, and also the community in which he was raised. Not fully accepted by the white community either, he is the classic outsider forced to go it alone.
Swan is assigned to the case of a murdered Aboriginal teenage girl whose body is found in a state of some decay quite some time after her violent end. It probably won't come as a great shock to find that the rest of the local constabulary, all white and male, are not only indifferent to the crime but hostile to its investigation, impeding Swan at every juncture. As Swan battles on uncovering corruption, drug dealing and civic sanctioned child prostitution, he starts to shed light on the town's inherent racism and misogyny – there appears to be no one in the town of any authority who is either black or female.
The film is a modern twist on the western genre: the lone lawman coming to town quietly determined to see right is done. It is the sort of role Gary Cooper, John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart all handled with ease 60 years ago. Aaron Pedersen is a worthy successor to these Hollywood greats, compelling in his restrained performance, giving just a hint of the angst beneath his calm exterior but always in control of himself. In the main, the supporting cast is also strong – especially Hugo Weaving as a police officer of dubious integrity and an alluded to murky past.
Like all classic westerns the film's denouement is a good old-fashioned shoot-out. This extended scene is particularly well handled by Sen with tight direction and camera work – although his cinematography throughout the film is praiseworthy.
The film has a few flaws. Early scene dialogue giving the backstory is rather stilted – though this quickly settled down; the minor character of a buffoonish local newspaper reporter was both unconvincing and irrelevant – it was as if Sen felt, wrongly, that his film needed a little comic relief. And I was surprised at the amount of drugs uncovered in such a very small town. I'm no expert but I'd have thought the quantity shown would be enough to supply the whole of Melbourne – including its nearby rock festivals – for a year.
Ultimately, many of the film's plot strands were left hanging which was, ostensibly, rather untidy. But on this, I'm giving Ivan Sen the benefit of the doubt. There was no neat resolution to his film or the crimes it depicts, because there is, as yet, no resolution to the social issues he raised in a non-preachy manner.
Another Intriguing Australian Outback Film
PStyles16 October 2014
I must say that I am fascinated by the Australian outback, so this movie immediately had my attention. There have been many good Australian films to come out in recent years(The Proposition, Animal Kingdom, and Snowtown come to mind) and Mystery Road is another quality film to add to that list. With some unbelievable cinematography and good to very good acting throughout, Mystery Road was an inherently different take on the mystery genre that I quite enjoyed.
The overall tone of Mystery Road is what sets it apart from other movies of similar type. From the camera shots all the way down to the dialogue, everything is depicted with realism. There is a real awkwardness to the conversations between characters in this movie, almost like you would see in real life. While obviously still scripted, the way Ivan Sen went about depicting these scenes made for a unique perspective. From cinematographic standpoint, this film is stunning. Utilizing both top down angles of the town and low-angled sunset shots, Sen really brought the outback to life quite beautifully. This film really reminds me of the Coen Brother's No Country for Old Men, both in tone and the way the scenes were shot. Also like No Country for Old Men, Mystery Road features a soundtrack nearly devoid of music. This adds a somber, gritty feel to the already stoic nature Mystery Road portrays.
The acting in this movie is pretty fantastic throughout. Some of the supporting characters weren't as convincing, but they played a rather minor role in the overall scheme of things. This movie focuses heavily on the main character, and rightfully so, as he's a total bad-ass. You can read the synopsis above so I won't waste time here. I must say, however, that Jay Swan(played by Aaron Pedersen) is pretty enjoyable to follow as he attempts to unravel the mystery of a dead girl in his hometown. Mystery Road shines a spotlight on race relations in Australia as well, and with Jay being an aboriginal detective, he faces a lot of adversity throughout the film. It is interesting to see this as an American, since we are not often exposed to such things that happen in Australia. There always seems to be a layer of tension below the courtesy between Jay and his fellow townsmen, either due to him being an aboriginal himself or because he is a detective.
Now to the negatives, which there are a few. First, this movie starts out quite slow. I almost gave up on it as I fell asleep twice in the first 40 minutes. Had it not been for the fantastic shots of the outback and a few intriguing individuals, I may not have made it through. Things begin to pick up around the halfway mark but this will most definitely turn some people off. There are also a few plot holes, but I won't give them away as they may ruin some of the ending. Many of the characters are sadly under-developed as well, which detracts from the overall intrigue of some very interesting individuals. While Hugo Weaving was quite good and his character interesting, he role was particularly undeveloped in my humble opinion. Instead, Sen decided to focus more on Jay, which is OK for the most part, but it would have been nice to see some other characters get more screen time.
Overall, this movie offers some fantastic shots of the rural outback of Australia with an interesting plot to boot. Things do start off slow but it also, quite literally, ends with a bang. This ending is not one to miss, and has one of the most impressive gun battles I have seen perhaps ever. If you are a fan of gritty mystery movies, definitely check out Mystery Road.
The overall tone of Mystery Road is what sets it apart from other movies of similar type. From the camera shots all the way down to the dialogue, everything is depicted with realism. There is a real awkwardness to the conversations between characters in this movie, almost like you would see in real life. While obviously still scripted, the way Ivan Sen went about depicting these scenes made for a unique perspective. From cinematographic standpoint, this film is stunning. Utilizing both top down angles of the town and low-angled sunset shots, Sen really brought the outback to life quite beautifully. This film really reminds me of the Coen Brother's No Country for Old Men, both in tone and the way the scenes were shot. Also like No Country for Old Men, Mystery Road features a soundtrack nearly devoid of music. This adds a somber, gritty feel to the already stoic nature Mystery Road portrays.
The acting in this movie is pretty fantastic throughout. Some of the supporting characters weren't as convincing, but they played a rather minor role in the overall scheme of things. This movie focuses heavily on the main character, and rightfully so, as he's a total bad-ass. You can read the synopsis above so I won't waste time here. I must say, however, that Jay Swan(played by Aaron Pedersen) is pretty enjoyable to follow as he attempts to unravel the mystery of a dead girl in his hometown. Mystery Road shines a spotlight on race relations in Australia as well, and with Jay being an aboriginal detective, he faces a lot of adversity throughout the film. It is interesting to see this as an American, since we are not often exposed to such things that happen in Australia. There always seems to be a layer of tension below the courtesy between Jay and his fellow townsmen, either due to him being an aboriginal himself or because he is a detective.
Now to the negatives, which there are a few. First, this movie starts out quite slow. I almost gave up on it as I fell asleep twice in the first 40 minutes. Had it not been for the fantastic shots of the outback and a few intriguing individuals, I may not have made it through. Things begin to pick up around the halfway mark but this will most definitely turn some people off. There are also a few plot holes, but I won't give them away as they may ruin some of the ending. Many of the characters are sadly under-developed as well, which detracts from the overall intrigue of some very interesting individuals. While Hugo Weaving was quite good and his character interesting, he role was particularly undeveloped in my humble opinion. Instead, Sen decided to focus more on Jay, which is OK for the most part, but it would have been nice to see some other characters get more screen time.
Overall, this movie offers some fantastic shots of the rural outback of Australia with an interesting plot to boot. Things do start off slow but it also, quite literally, ends with a bang. This ending is not one to miss, and has one of the most impressive gun battles I have seen perhaps ever. If you are a fan of gritty mystery movies, definitely check out Mystery Road.
Really interesting entertainment!
Blazs918 October 2014
This film was a pleasant surprise for me among the mass of today's Hollywood productions. The movie is a bit different in its rhythm and mood from as we are expected from its genre. It tries to combine the western and the thriller style, and I think it has succeeded.
The movie narrates a story of a lonely detective who tries to hunt down the murderer of a young girl in the remote and sparsely inhabited territory of Australia. But the movie is intended to be real, and makes a great effort in order to achieve that. It tries to show us the everyday life of a lonesome ranger in a realistic way. Thus, it could give us a totally different picture than the Hollywood action-stuffed blockbusters can provide.
We can hardly see a single gun in use throughout the whole movie, but somehow it manages to attract the attention of the audience. The newer and newer details of the crime are revealed in a nicely right pace. Sometimes, during the interrogation of a person I've already known what the detective's following question would be. But not the teeming clichés are responsible for that (because there were any), but the adequate atmosphere what the movie could have created, because it's able to involve the audience and encourage them to investigate along with the protagonist.
At the beginning I felt the fact a bit weird, that almost every single member of the town were totally unfriendly with the detective, even a few years old tiny kid, who was brave enough to announce without batting an eyelid that he'd take the detective's life. But later I realized, that I wouldn't be really happy too, if a ranger wanted to ask me a few question about a murder. However, not only these people were raw to the protagonist, but the other policeman were pretty arrogant either. We can feel the tension in almost every moment of an interrogation, because the conversations are usually interrupted with awkward silence, because the detective could hardly pull out the valuable information out of the people. That's why the dialgoues are occasionally a bit silly, but there are some moments when they're quite funky and gripping.
Nevertheless, the actors did a fine job, as far as some of them had only little opportunity to prevail on the silver screen. I admit, that it wasn't Hugo Weaving's most outstanding performance, as we could see him acting far better in the Matrix or in The Lord of the Rings. But I couldn't blame him for that, because his character was really obnoxious in this movie. I could have accused him at his first appearance on the screen, like almost any other people in the movie, except the protagonist.
We can hardly hear any music or soundtrack throughout the movie (only one or two), but it simply draws benefits from that, because the movie could create a much more depressing atmosphere int hat way. The film could perfectly visualize in front of our eyes, that the detectives don't have as fast-paced life as we could experience that in the high- budget Hollywood movie, but they are much slower, tedious, tiresome and difficult. The film owns a nearly 2 hours long runtime, thanks to the fact in part, that it has taken up the conventional towed style of the western genre. There are some moment, when we could see the characters looking at each for a quite long time period without moving or saying a word. But it had to be like this! So no worries!
If You'd like to experience a life-like investigation in a realistically implemented environment in the company of a logically built up storyline, than I can bravely recommend You this movie! Buti f You wanna see some action scenes speeding by right after other, and You don't wanna get slowed down, then this movie will not be your cup of tea.
Thanks for spending your precious free time with reading my review! Hope you liked it!
The movie narrates a story of a lonely detective who tries to hunt down the murderer of a young girl in the remote and sparsely inhabited territory of Australia. But the movie is intended to be real, and makes a great effort in order to achieve that. It tries to show us the everyday life of a lonesome ranger in a realistic way. Thus, it could give us a totally different picture than the Hollywood action-stuffed blockbusters can provide.
We can hardly see a single gun in use throughout the whole movie, but somehow it manages to attract the attention of the audience. The newer and newer details of the crime are revealed in a nicely right pace. Sometimes, during the interrogation of a person I've already known what the detective's following question would be. But not the teeming clichés are responsible for that (because there were any), but the adequate atmosphere what the movie could have created, because it's able to involve the audience and encourage them to investigate along with the protagonist.
At the beginning I felt the fact a bit weird, that almost every single member of the town were totally unfriendly with the detective, even a few years old tiny kid, who was brave enough to announce without batting an eyelid that he'd take the detective's life. But later I realized, that I wouldn't be really happy too, if a ranger wanted to ask me a few question about a murder. However, not only these people were raw to the protagonist, but the other policeman were pretty arrogant either. We can feel the tension in almost every moment of an interrogation, because the conversations are usually interrupted with awkward silence, because the detective could hardly pull out the valuable information out of the people. That's why the dialgoues are occasionally a bit silly, but there are some moments when they're quite funky and gripping.
Nevertheless, the actors did a fine job, as far as some of them had only little opportunity to prevail on the silver screen. I admit, that it wasn't Hugo Weaving's most outstanding performance, as we could see him acting far better in the Matrix or in The Lord of the Rings. But I couldn't blame him for that, because his character was really obnoxious in this movie. I could have accused him at his first appearance on the screen, like almost any other people in the movie, except the protagonist.
We can hardly hear any music or soundtrack throughout the movie (only one or two), but it simply draws benefits from that, because the movie could create a much more depressing atmosphere int hat way. The film could perfectly visualize in front of our eyes, that the detectives don't have as fast-paced life as we could experience that in the high- budget Hollywood movie, but they are much slower, tedious, tiresome and difficult. The film owns a nearly 2 hours long runtime, thanks to the fact in part, that it has taken up the conventional towed style of the western genre. There are some moment, when we could see the characters looking at each for a quite long time period without moving or saying a word. But it had to be like this! So no worries!
If You'd like to experience a life-like investigation in a realistically implemented environment in the company of a logically built up storyline, than I can bravely recommend You this movie! Buti f You wanna see some action scenes speeding by right after other, and You don't wanna get slowed down, then this movie will not be your cup of tea.
Thanks for spending your precious free time with reading my review! Hope you liked it!
A really stirring portrayal of life in the outback
annamchugh-693734 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Should be mandatory viewing for everyone who lives in Australia. I'm a fan of Aaron Pedersen anyway, but this was a really restrained portrayal of a character who's alienated from his own community and from his own daughter because he's an indigenous police officer. The problem of drugs in the outback is huge, and this does a great job of showing that it is part of the entrenched racism in most of Australian society. I was also impressed with the number of talented teenage actors - hopefully they'll do more in Australian film and TV. The plot's triple whammy of sexual exploitation, drug and alcohol abuse, and racism is balanced by beautiful cinematography which never lets the landscape overpower the characters. The shoot-out at the end is really tragic, and the lack of clarity about exactly what happens with the dysfunctional little family felt completely consistent with the rest of the movie.
Still a Mystery to Me
thesar-221 July 2020
Huh! I just watched this new-to-me Australian Outback Neo-Western last night all the way through - it's a long and slow one - and never knew it preceded another new-to-me Australian Outback Neo-Western I discovered a few days ago also out of the blue online: Goldstone.
Now, I thoroughly liked Goldstone way better, and now I'm curious to revisit that one since I'm aware it's a sequel to this film. I really liked this main actor and character in both.
Admittedly, both films featuring (the GORGEOUS) Aaron Pedersen as Detective Jay Swan are incredibly slow, this one really made me feel it. Like this one was tough. Doesn't mean it wasn't good with solid acting, beautiful cinematography and sets, along with those dang Australian Outback flies again, though not as prominent here.
It's just, this time I was a whole helluva lost for the most part. It felt like they did, indeed, have a Mystery for Jay to solve, but it keep going in so many crime-filled directions, I never, ever - in fact - find out the bad guy's overall M.O. That might be just me, so you can watch this and make up your own mind. Or just get it. Frankly, I loved the feel of this movie and surroundings and the intrigue of following Jay around everywhere, I just went along for the ride.
Since few words are spoken by Jay and less understandable ones without captions on from his supporting cast, the background is questionable. Apparently, this Detective left this desert-dirt-n-drugs town in the middle of Nowhere, Outback, to work in the big city, leaving his alcoholic ex-wife and child behind. He's been gone for so long, by the time he mistakenly decides to move back "home," people have turned away from him. In all aspects.
Regardless, a truck driver coincidentally finds a dead teen girl under a highway overpass crossing and Detective Jay's on the case. Oddly alone, but he's always promised help. For the next two hours, he peels back the onion layers on the case and town. This man, again of few words, is as mesmerizing as he is good looking, so that helps since you will stay with him ALL THE WAY 'til the end...of this Mystery Road. I don't even recall more than two shots not featuring him.
I guess, knowing now that there were two movies featuring Jay, I can recommend both as a double-feature night. But, best to start early as both are deliberately slow paced. At least they saved the best of the two for last.
***
Final thoughts: I guess there was a TV series based on this movie and I might watch someday, if it's available. I just now wanna re-watch Goldstone again as I loved it so much and since I know who that Mystery Detective featured in that film is.
Update: I just rewatched Goldstone. I originally gave it 4½/5 stars and now I'm surprised I didn't give it 5/5. If you watch Mystery Road first and then Goldstone, you'll see probably one of the biggest transformations of a character from original to sequel in history. Know his background, know where he came from in the original movie and then see him here, in Goldstone, the sequel and the weight of what he became, what he endured with his daughter...and this sequel, Goldstone becomes a near masterpiece. But, again, it must be watched with Mystery Road. So, I DO recommend a double feature. Funny, tho: Mystery Road is available on Prime while Goldstone is available on Netflix. Hope you have both because they're both worth the journey.
Now, I thoroughly liked Goldstone way better, and now I'm curious to revisit that one since I'm aware it's a sequel to this film. I really liked this main actor and character in both.
Admittedly, both films featuring (the GORGEOUS) Aaron Pedersen as Detective Jay Swan are incredibly slow, this one really made me feel it. Like this one was tough. Doesn't mean it wasn't good with solid acting, beautiful cinematography and sets, along with those dang Australian Outback flies again, though not as prominent here.
It's just, this time I was a whole helluva lost for the most part. It felt like they did, indeed, have a Mystery for Jay to solve, but it keep going in so many crime-filled directions, I never, ever - in fact - find out the bad guy's overall M.O. That might be just me, so you can watch this and make up your own mind. Or just get it. Frankly, I loved the feel of this movie and surroundings and the intrigue of following Jay around everywhere, I just went along for the ride.
Since few words are spoken by Jay and less understandable ones without captions on from his supporting cast, the background is questionable. Apparently, this Detective left this desert-dirt-n-drugs town in the middle of Nowhere, Outback, to work in the big city, leaving his alcoholic ex-wife and child behind. He's been gone for so long, by the time he mistakenly decides to move back "home," people have turned away from him. In all aspects.
Regardless, a truck driver coincidentally finds a dead teen girl under a highway overpass crossing and Detective Jay's on the case. Oddly alone, but he's always promised help. For the next two hours, he peels back the onion layers on the case and town. This man, again of few words, is as mesmerizing as he is good looking, so that helps since you will stay with him ALL THE WAY 'til the end...of this Mystery Road. I don't even recall more than two shots not featuring him.
I guess, knowing now that there were two movies featuring Jay, I can recommend both as a double-feature night. But, best to start early as both are deliberately slow paced. At least they saved the best of the two for last.
***
Final thoughts: I guess there was a TV series based on this movie and I might watch someday, if it's available. I just now wanna re-watch Goldstone again as I loved it so much and since I know who that Mystery Detective featured in that film is.
Update: I just rewatched Goldstone. I originally gave it 4½/5 stars and now I'm surprised I didn't give it 5/5. If you watch Mystery Road first and then Goldstone, you'll see probably one of the biggest transformations of a character from original to sequel in history. Know his background, know where he came from in the original movie and then see him here, in Goldstone, the sequel and the weight of what he became, what he endured with his daughter...and this sequel, Goldstone becomes a near masterpiece. But, again, it must be watched with Mystery Road. So, I DO recommend a double feature. Funny, tho: Mystery Road is available on Prime while Goldstone is available on Netflix. Hope you have both because they're both worth the journey.
This movie managed to hook me in the first minutes.
irishsounds25 February 2015
Why was I immediately sold on this movie? Within minutes I was hooked, and stayed with it 100% right through. That, in my case, is an immediate plus point for any movie.
So how did it get me? I guess because it struck me as believable - the characters, the places, the story. Having visited the edge of the Auz outback I fully related to the backgrounds and the characters. The texture and feel of the presentation struck me as the genuine article. I have said it before about top quality film directing - that the feel was more like a documentary with real people and not actors.
The acting was excellent but not of a fine silken quality or in any way slick. Rather the characters were raw and gritty, which could explain some review comments suggesting wooden or poor acting.
This movie felt like a fly on the wall view of the hard side of a tough life in the Australian outback, replete with huge social problems, racism, and defeated and depressed people tying to survive while drugs and crime were eating into the life of the area.
As depressing as was the setting, funny enough, I was not in the least depressed by the movie. There was a strong ethical line and I felt throughout that good would make it in the end.
This is a great movie without any big name actors, without fancy settings, without a great musical score, without great special effects, without bells or whistles of any description. It is totally minimalist art. It's greatness is in the excellent direction, the acting, the cinematography, and a decent enough plot.
So how did it get me? I guess because it struck me as believable - the characters, the places, the story. Having visited the edge of the Auz outback I fully related to the backgrounds and the characters. The texture and feel of the presentation struck me as the genuine article. I have said it before about top quality film directing - that the feel was more like a documentary with real people and not actors.
The acting was excellent but not of a fine silken quality or in any way slick. Rather the characters were raw and gritty, which could explain some review comments suggesting wooden or poor acting.
This movie felt like a fly on the wall view of the hard side of a tough life in the Australian outback, replete with huge social problems, racism, and defeated and depressed people tying to survive while drugs and crime were eating into the life of the area.
As depressing as was the setting, funny enough, I was not in the least depressed by the movie. There was a strong ethical line and I felt throughout that good would make it in the end.
This is a great movie without any big name actors, without fancy settings, without a great musical score, without great special effects, without bells or whistles of any description. It is totally minimalist art. It's greatness is in the excellent direction, the acting, the cinematography, and a decent enough plot.
Worth looking at
aaargh-949-86408416 March 2014
I don't think this is the greatest film ever made, or even Ivan Sven's best, but it's definitely worth a look. You'll have to leave aside any US parochialism (the US experience of place, politics, and film convention all too often stand in as "universal" or "neutral") and accept that this film may be addressing particularly Australian experiences and expressions of place, race, and politics, even as Sven tries to frame these concerns within recognisable genre conventions. His film probably doesn't fully succeed; and like most genre films, there's some predictability and inevitability about the plot line and outcomes. However, there's an excellent central performance and - if you allow yourself to settle into the rhythm the film demands, instead of looking for satisfaction of your own particular expectations/needs - the mood of the piece is affecting. In parts, it reminds me of Wake in Fright. That it presents an Aboriginal man as the central figure - and a policeman at that - "waking in fright" as an outsider in his own town/country is worth thinking about. Is it an "authentic" representation of "the outback"? What would that be? What's "the" "outback"? How would we know it was "authentic", and who has the right to say? Is John Ford's "The Searchers" an "authentic" representation of "the West"? I'm not suggesting this is on the same level as The Searchers, but to write it off as some have on this site seems harsh. Worth a look; it may teach you something about race relations in Australia.
Going' Down the Road
sol-8 December 2017
Investigating the brutal murder of an Indigenous teenage girl in rural Australia, an Indigenous cop begins to question whether drugs, police corruption and other factors may have contributed in this thriller from 'Beneath Clouds' director Ivan Sen. As per 'Beneath Clouds', Sen litters his film is beautiful landscape shots. The twilight/dusk opening scene is especially striking with many moody colours blended in. The vast majority of 'Mystery Road' occurs in the daylight though with a few too many indoor shots. The film is very slow paced too with little sense of urgency or even danger as the protagonist probes deeper into the death. Interesting ideas abound as the detective begins to suspect that his own estranged teen daughter may have been mixed up with the murder victim and his scenes with her are among the most touching moments in the movie. 'Mystery Road' never makes up its mind though whether it wants to be an estranged father/daughter tale, a tale of an Indigenous cop overcoming prejudice, a tale of mistreatment of Indigenous youths or a tale of the corrupting influence of drugs. This in turn makes it difficult for the film to leave much of an impact. Lead actor Aaron Pedersen certainly tries his best to make the most of the material though - and he is helped out by a talented supporting cast - but one's mileage with the movie may well vary.
Really effective Queensland mystery
Red-Barracuda24 February 2014
A detective from a small outback settlement investigates the murder of an Aboriginal girl whose body has been found in a drain under the highway in the outskirts of town. His investigations soon reveal many dark secrets that underpin the town.
A couple of things in particular make this film really successful. Firstly, it has a compelling and deliberately developed mystery plot-line that slowly reveals its secrets; secondly, its Queensland outback location is wonderfully used to add atmosphere and depth. The Australian outback is really a very cinematic landscape, its sheer expanse and seeming endlessness can look great in a widescreen frame and the cinematography in Mystery Road shows again why. The shots of the landscape are often very beautiful. This contrasts quite jarringly with the small country town, which is entirely functional, with no beauty. We really feel the heat as well. This leads to a slowed down pace and a laid-back feel, very much in keeping with Australian life in general. This extends to the slow and deliberate way that the story-line unfolds before us.
The film looks at a few social issues that underpin the mystery story-line such as race relations, prostitution, police corruption and drug abuse. By the end, it would only be fair to say that all of the questions posed by the mystery have not been neatly answered. If anything, this works in the film's favour though as it makes you ponder events even more afterwards. What also helps is that the acting by the entire cast is very good. From the smallest support roles to the lead actors, everyone is excellent. Aaron Pederson in the lead role is particularly impressive. His measured and quiet persona is just the right tone and in keeping with the overall authenticity of proceedings. This is a film almost solely concerned with mystery mechanics at the expense of thriller elements. This, however, changes at the end where we are treated to one of the best shootouts you will see in any film. In keeping with the rest of the movie, this is a gun fight that retains its realism. It's because of this it's so interesting. It's messy and far removed from typical action movie shootouts; consequently it's far more effective. Of especial note are the long distance duels, where the delay between shots are so unusual and add considerable tension. It's an inspired ending to a very good Australian film.
A couple of things in particular make this film really successful. Firstly, it has a compelling and deliberately developed mystery plot-line that slowly reveals its secrets; secondly, its Queensland outback location is wonderfully used to add atmosphere and depth. The Australian outback is really a very cinematic landscape, its sheer expanse and seeming endlessness can look great in a widescreen frame and the cinematography in Mystery Road shows again why. The shots of the landscape are often very beautiful. This contrasts quite jarringly with the small country town, which is entirely functional, with no beauty. We really feel the heat as well. This leads to a slowed down pace and a laid-back feel, very much in keeping with Australian life in general. This extends to the slow and deliberate way that the story-line unfolds before us.
The film looks at a few social issues that underpin the mystery story-line such as race relations, prostitution, police corruption and drug abuse. By the end, it would only be fair to say that all of the questions posed by the mystery have not been neatly answered. If anything, this works in the film's favour though as it makes you ponder events even more afterwards. What also helps is that the acting by the entire cast is very good. From the smallest support roles to the lead actors, everyone is excellent. Aaron Pederson in the lead role is particularly impressive. His measured and quiet persona is just the right tone and in keeping with the overall authenticity of proceedings. This is a film almost solely concerned with mystery mechanics at the expense of thriller elements. This, however, changes at the end where we are treated to one of the best shootouts you will see in any film. In keeping with the rest of the movie, this is a gun fight that retains its realism. It's because of this it's so interesting. It's messy and far removed from typical action movie shootouts; consequently it's far more effective. Of especial note are the long distance duels, where the delay between shots are so unusual and add considerable tension. It's an inspired ending to a very good Australian film.
Not perfect but much to recommend
Leofwine_draca2 March 2015
MYSTERY ROAD is another atmospheric, well-made and well-acted Australian movie that contains bags more style and atmosphere than many a bigger-budgeted Hollywood movie. This one's set in the much-ignored Aboriginal community and a kind of poverty-row slum that will be familiar to anybody who's sat through the gruelling SNOWTOWN.
Thankfully, MYSTERY ROAD isn't anywhere near as grim as that movie, although it is a murder mystery in which young Aboriginal girls are being found with their throats slit, their bodies having been partially eaten by wild dogs. Rogue cop Aaron Pedersen is on the case, and he predictably comes up against the usual racism and conspiracies in his bid to discover the truth behind the murders.
The film as a whole has a compelling vibe and despite being slow-paced it's completely engrossing. The low-tech nature of the production gives it a naturalistic feel and the performances are excellent, particularly from the bigger names like Hugo Weaving (THE MATRIX), Damian Walshe-Howling (THE REEF), Bruce Spence (MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR), and Ryan Kwanten (RED HILL) who all give subdued, authentic turns.
My only real complaint is that there are so many sub-plots here that half of them don't get tied up, leaving too many loose ends at the climax. Still, the film-makers make up for this by staging a lengthy, action-packed climax that's one of the most nail-biting, realistic, and gripping that I've seen in a while.
Thankfully, MYSTERY ROAD isn't anywhere near as grim as that movie, although it is a murder mystery in which young Aboriginal girls are being found with their throats slit, their bodies having been partially eaten by wild dogs. Rogue cop Aaron Pedersen is on the case, and he predictably comes up against the usual racism and conspiracies in his bid to discover the truth behind the murders.
The film as a whole has a compelling vibe and despite being slow-paced it's completely engrossing. The low-tech nature of the production gives it a naturalistic feel and the performances are excellent, particularly from the bigger names like Hugo Weaving (THE MATRIX), Damian Walshe-Howling (THE REEF), Bruce Spence (MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR), and Ryan Kwanten (RED HILL) who all give subdued, authentic turns.
My only real complaint is that there are so many sub-plots here that half of them don't get tied up, leaving too many loose ends at the climax. Still, the film-makers make up for this by staging a lengthy, action-packed climax that's one of the most nail-biting, realistic, and gripping that I've seen in a while.
Non-Aussies might want to watch this one with the captions on or while viewing with an Aussie friend.
planktonrules17 January 2015
My daughter suggested we see this film together. She told me she'd seen it and liked it but also felt like it might make more sense if she saw it again--and on a TV with captions instead of in the theater. This is because this Australian film is set in a very rural portion of Queensland, Australia and the language is very different for us. In other words, while they're speaking English, there are a lot of colloquial words and phrases she just didn't understand the first time she saw it and a few of the accents were a bit thick. I couldn't help her that much even though I spent a few weeks in Australia--this certainly didn't make me an expert on the country. Plus, all the time I was there I was in the much more cosmopolitan portions of New South Wales and Victoria. So for folks like us Americans, the film might pose a few challenges. My advice is still watch it--but try to bring along an Australian friend to help you understand everything that is occurring. Additionally, I should point out that the film is, at times, deliberately vague.
The story is about a detective investigating the murder of a young Aboriginal girl. He is himself half Aboriginal and you get the impression that this is really important in the film--but exactly how is, again, something that might help to understand if you have Australians sitting with you watching. What exactly happened to the girl is difficult, as there aren't a lot of apparent clues. And when the big confrontation at the end occurs, you STILL aren't sure who is who (especially Hugo Weaving's character). Worth seeing but confusing and worth repeated views because of this.
The story is about a detective investigating the murder of a young Aboriginal girl. He is himself half Aboriginal and you get the impression that this is really important in the film--but exactly how is, again, something that might help to understand if you have Australians sitting with you watching. What exactly happened to the girl is difficult, as there aren't a lot of apparent clues. And when the big confrontation at the end occurs, you STILL aren't sure who is who (especially Hugo Weaving's character). Worth seeing but confusing and worth repeated views because of this.
Pointless drivel
jsonoqui15 December 2020
There are so many other ways one could spend 2 hours. Watching a slow, slow, slow movie with subpar acting, a pointless script and a senseless plot certainly would be a beneficial one. This movie stunk to high heaven. My wife and I did watch it all the way to the end, but it was excruciating, but I am not a quitter. Do yourself a favor and pass on this one, nothing to see here...
review from Austin Film Festival viewer
austinartist30 October 2013
The film was intriguing, the cast was very good however the plot had so many misleading elements that were never fully developed - seemed like the screenwriter could not resolve his direction. Overall a very good film but the plot needed more resolution. The cinematography adds depth to the story, especially the overhead shots. Gives viewer more insight into the differences between the social economic classes. Pedersen is a very good actor, his facial expressions move his character along, gives him emotional range that makes us believe his devotion to the job. The plot is confusing, it was as if maybe dialogue was cut, too many details needed explanation.
Itself a Mystery
samkan29 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this film as much as most of the other COMMENTERS herein. And like many of my fellow critics, I take issue with some of MYSTERY ROAD's untied plot issues. Maybe greater issue as I was disappointed at the movie's end. ADVISORY: Read no further if you're yet to watch as MYSTERY ROAD is indeed intriguing. This film is moody and interesting enough that it overcomes it's faults. But, and I'll be brutally specific: The attempt at depicting racial strife, injustice, etc., is ham-handed enough to approach gratuitousness. The "wild dog" subplot is by far the best storyline yet fades away. I''m guessing the druggies raised the mutts to protect their trade and killed the girls for canine feed. Finally -and almost irritating- is Johnno helping our hero by picking off bad guys and, if so, why? MYSTERY ROAD deserves far more than it's OK Corral ending. Whew, I'll sure take a lot of heat for this review!
Mostly Good
fmbr-16 July 2016
There was a lot that was good in this film, but a few sour notes brought it down a little. The good: First and foremost, Pedersen's performance is great. He is in every scene and certainly carries the film. He is supported by the cream of Australian acting to tell an excellent story of crime and corruption in the outback. Finally, we get treated to some great cinematography of the Australian terrain with wide horizons and gorgeous sunrise/sunsets. The bad: It's slow. There are a lot of scenes of people just staring off into the distance, looking at the ground or doing other things and not talking or doing anything else. This leads to it being a little difficult to tell what is happening and there are some unanswered questions - such as who's side was Jonhno (Hugo Weaving) on? He was a cop that knew about the drugs but didn't arrest those involved. He helped Jay Swan at the end, but didn't start shooting until the fight had already begun? Was the police chief in on it? Finally, after everyone has been shot, there is no follow up. Jay Swan just goes home without filling out any paperwork or any other cop like activities which one would think would happen. This would have been handy to clarify what happened.
Slow developing movie but worth watching. Very realistic scenes
teslavate20 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
-- I will say right from the out set that if you need a fast pace story running very quickly and smoothly from front to back this is likely not to be a movie you will enjoy. It starts out very slowly and seems to leave an awful lot to the viewer's mind to fill in. -- The movie starts out like it's going to be about racial bigotry, a native detective in a 99% white power structure working as a newly promoted detective returning home from a long absence at training and school. While he has been gone things have changed in the relatively small desert town, cocaine and methamphetamines have moved into the very rural area, as well as the labs that create it and the criminals who will do anything to anyone to protect it and the twisted pass times of the people in that trade. -- Even though it is slow moving it is very realistic in the form of a police investigation. In the USA we are used to directors spoon feeding us everything and running a very chronological story, but in real life investigative police work is often very slow and ponderous. I think maybe that is what this director was trying to express in his movie, but he comes very close to making the movie untenable for the average viewer in the USA. Maybe in Australia they are into this kind of movie. At any rate the movie IS very realistic in how a police investigation slowly progresses toward its goal. -- As you move along you start to realize that the murder in the start of the movie maybe part of it but the story is more about the depraved minds of these criminals and how the drug trade moves in and infects all levels of society and brings in levels of depravity never scene before by most citizens. Not only is there a drug trade going on but also a sick trade in underage kids and a serial killer that likes to use dogs and knives on his young female victims. -- And if you like true realism you will find the big shootout very satisfying. Having worked as a criminal investigator for +20 years and having been involved in a number of shooting I found the shoot out to be very realistic, to the point of running my adrenaline right up as I tried to shout advice. Now some will say the rifle shooting drug cop is unrealistic in that he simply sits in the open and has a long range sniper shoot out with a determined sniper, however you have to understand, and catch the clues in the movie, that this drug cop is either VERY deep under cover or on the take. In any case he is using drugs and that explains why he would sit in the open and duke it out with big bore rifles. -- However, after a very satisfying shoot out with the lowest form of criminals the movie does this weird thing I have seen in a lot of early movie making. It leaves you hanging and thinking, "What the..." because the director assumes that you see the same things he envisions but apparently doesn't bother to ask anyone else about to see if they agree. Or, the director is trying to leave a dramatic twist at the end that doesn't really do that well. -- Also, the ramification and results of this epic gun battle are left to us to try and fathom. All we see is the detective look at the bad guys faces and then he drives away from a scene in which, by my count, approximately 7 bad guys are killed by police gunfire, 1 officer is dead and 1 officer is wounded. And the survivor just drives away. Of course, or at least I hope that the director is just leaving the after effects to our imagination. If not then I really was lost and misunderstood everything. -- If you have watched the movie closely you may catch enough to sort of understand what he's aiming for in the last scene but it is not obvious. I had to watch the movie twice to catch some of the little details that didn't seem pertinent to movie the first time around. Then I finally understood that the detective is going home to his estranged ex-wife and teen daughter. -- So basically the movie starts out with a crime scene and slowly rolls toward the inevitable confrontation between good and bad. The whole movie appears to be pointed towards that goal, the confrontation, the shoot out at the OK corral so to speak. However after the great confrontation, after watching and waiting for this inevitable clash and watching it happen, the director turns the movie about and tries to make a dramatic family ending, but I don't think he laid a sufficient foundation for this to work well. There only a couple scenes about the family aspect and they weren't very detailed. -- It possibly sounds like I am trying to tear this movie apart but I really am not. As a cop who was disabled in such a confrontation as this movie I found it very interesting and I enjoyed trying to better understand it through the social differences. The actors are true professionals and the movie appears to have been made by professionals also. I would recommend it to anyone who likes who dunnits or cop movies. But it's not a family movie and it would be better going into it with open eyes.
.
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Coming home to find things this messed up what choice would you have.
face-819-93372618 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
It would be easy to just say that this is Australia's answer to No Country For Old Men, but that would be selling this movie short. Yes there are similarities in the showdowns, and the fact that both are acted beautifully, and honestly without pretension, or over dramatization. You just get the raw story here, and it is really good. Race is an issue in the story, but it is not the focus, nor is it essential, It would be an outsider coming home no matter who he was, or where the story was set. I like to come into most movies completely blind, and always hope for the best result, you must like to know more, or you wouldn't be reading this. Then it's the goods you seek, then here they are. I really Enjoyed this movie, the acting is all excellent, from the youngest to the oldest everyone held their own, the story is so very deep, and layered, and ends in the only way that it could. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes a good dramatic story with a lot of the mystery left for you, and the main character to discover together, you get this dealt out exceptionally well in fact. The beauty of the Australian Outback, with a great 3 way Sniper shootout that was inevitable Ryan Kwanten playing a villain is a nice extra treat as well.
Jesse of www.Jesse.ca
Jesse of www.Jesse.ca
Slow-burning and gripping.
DimitrisPassas-TapTheLine29 July 2018
Mystery Road'' is a western-like crime film, written and directed by the talented Ivan Sven. The movie is set in a small Australian town where everybody knows everybody and a gruesome killing of a black teenage girl takes place. The protagonist (Aaron Pedersen) is a young tough-but-fair police officer, divorced and the father of a young girl, who strives to solve the case having often to overcome the nonchalance of his colleagues and superior and the hostile behavior from witnesses and suspects. The plot moves slowly forward, enhancing the feeling of suspense and the breathtaking cinematography is bound to dazzle any viewer. ''Mystery Road'' is a very entertaining police procedural with top-level acting both by Pedersen and Hugo Weaving (in a supporting role) and a memorable, very well crafted, final shoot-out scene. If you are looking for the generic Hollywood crime film you will be disappointed as ''Mystery Road'' will attract the audiences who appreciate different qualities in a movie.
More Questions Than Answers
johnseegers4 August 2022
Hodgepodge.
We loved the series so we figured we would give the movie a try.
Half of it is confusing the other half makes no sense.
Still have no idea who the good guys and bad guys were!
Seems like they must have shot a complete series with a coherent story and then some poor person had to edit twelve hours down to two.
We loved the series so we figured we would give the movie a try.
Half of it is confusing the other half makes no sense.
Still have no idea who the good guys and bad guys were!
Seems like they must have shot a complete series with a coherent story and then some poor person had to edit twelve hours down to two.
Gorgeous Cinematography, Superb Acting, Overall Class Film
foolishcop-589-14747720 December 2014
The negative reviews baffled me and the positive ones can't do Mystery Road enough justice.
From the opening until the dramatic end, the movie is a captivating tour de force. Coming from the U.S. I'm completely ignorant of the racial biases apparently at play in the Australian Outback, and this film subtly puts them on display without having them become overbearing or preachy.
The acting is tops and Aaron Pederson does his subject well, playing him with confidence and understatement. Hugo Weaving's turn as Johnno is also a well-crafted part, not to mention all of the minor roles, all of which came across as completely believable. It's easy to say the Australian landscape had just as large a role as any of the cast, and it read its lines perfectly.
Although there were a few parts where I found it difficult to understand what was said as a result of the local accent, there was no missing the message that was delivered. Again, from beginning to end the movie hit all the right notes, and even its climatic ending delivered a superbly satisfying denouement to the whole.
I've come to appreciate films not produced in the U.S. because they all too often are so formulaic with shallowly cast characters. Mystery Road represents among the best of what I look for in a movie produced anywhere and is tops among such "foreign" films. It is definitely one to catch.
From the opening until the dramatic end, the movie is a captivating tour de force. Coming from the U.S. I'm completely ignorant of the racial biases apparently at play in the Australian Outback, and this film subtly puts them on display without having them become overbearing or preachy.
The acting is tops and Aaron Pederson does his subject well, playing him with confidence and understatement. Hugo Weaving's turn as Johnno is also a well-crafted part, not to mention all of the minor roles, all of which came across as completely believable. It's easy to say the Australian landscape had just as large a role as any of the cast, and it read its lines perfectly.
Although there were a few parts where I found it difficult to understand what was said as a result of the local accent, there was no missing the message that was delivered. Again, from beginning to end the movie hit all the right notes, and even its climatic ending delivered a superbly satisfying denouement to the whole.
I've come to appreciate films not produced in the U.S. because they all too often are so formulaic with shallowly cast characters. Mystery Road represents among the best of what I look for in a movie produced anywhere and is tops among such "foreign" films. It is definitely one to catch.
Ivan Sen's DocuDrama style movie delivers an authentic and dusty slice of the 'Aussie' Outback. Meditative Magic.
jeromewillner31 October 2020
Set in the dusty arid outback of rural Winton, Queensland Australia, in the middle of seemingly nowhere; Mystery Road is a docudrama style movie, telling the story of Jay Swan (Aaron Pedersen), an indigenous cop, attempting to deal with the consequences of tensions between people in this hostile environment. Ivan Sen's direction, like the barren landscape of its setting, is sparse, and allows the impact of each scene to build up in its own time, and at its own pace. His screenplay (perhaps because he Directed, Wrote, and Filmed this), feels beautifully measured, and achieves so much more by saying so much less. The spaces between the words, and the spaces between the sentences, are punctuated by the background noise of the natural surroundings, or the background noise of silence. Both the natural surroundings, and the silence, are strongly present, and speak wordlessly to what it is to inhabit this part of the world, and what it takes to draw breath here. Jay deals with tough people on both sides of the law, and has only his instincts and his skills, to avoid becoming a victim himself. He treads a careful line between enforcing justice, and being a somewhat helpless witness to in-justice, because his work in the system gives some meaning to his life, and pays the bills as well. He knows more than most, there isn't much room to be vulnerable here, and the price of a mistake can be high. Somehow despite it all, he also knows that while he maybe can't change things much, he can choose how he deals with them. As he sleeps alone, Jay's phone rings out in the darkness. He wakes, and dutifully answers. Another day awaits. Meditative Magic.
Outback woe
Prismark1014 October 2015
Mystery Road can best be described as an Aboriginal noir western.
Aaron Pedersen is Detective Jay Swan. A determined indigenous cop who never seems to give up despite the obstacles in his way which includes threats and racism.
The detective wears a white cowboy hat but seems to use very little of his grey cells in the head as he investigates the murder of a young Aboriginal prostitute in the outback.
This is a very slow burn thriller with some unresolved side plots and conspiracies. A lot of the story is confusing, even though I have seen the film twice.
I really found this film to be tedious despite some nice photography such as the sunsets. Only the shoot out at the end perked things up.
Aaron Pedersen is Detective Jay Swan. A determined indigenous cop who never seems to give up despite the obstacles in his way which includes threats and racism.
The detective wears a white cowboy hat but seems to use very little of his grey cells in the head as he investigates the murder of a young Aboriginal prostitute in the outback.
This is a very slow burn thriller with some unresolved side plots and conspiracies. A lot of the story is confusing, even though I have seen the film twice.
I really found this film to be tedious despite some nice photography such as the sunsets. Only the shoot out at the end perked things up.
A bit heavy in the Ambiguous Dept, but a strong, engrossing, moody film... Blu-ray: Excellent A:9 V:9
lathe-of-heaven13 October 2014
At the end I'm yelling at the television, 'WHAT THE...?!!!' amongst many other colourful words, but as I settled down (and took a couple of Valium) I really felt that I had watched a very different, but quality film.
I basically agree with Peter Henderson's review (from Australia) in everything he said. If you don't mind SLOW, ponderous films, then you may appreciate this one. It's just that, as a couple people here have stated, there are a few 'WTF' moments plot wise where at the end you are truly wondering what the hell just happened. Thankfully, another fellow here kind of spelled out the basic plot and story which did help a LOT! But, be that as it may, the movie has a good sense of mystery (NOT exactly in the traditional Hollywood sense) that truly draws you in and keeps you wondering what is going to happen.
I mean, I LOVE ambiguous films. David Lynch is one of my favourite directors. And, if you want to talk 'Ambiguous', all you have to do is see 'MULHOLLAND DRIVE', 'LOST HIGHWAY, or God forbid, 'INLAND EMPIRE'. BUT... and it is a VERY BIG BUT like Mariah Carey's... Still, in this film there are little tidbits dropped here and there out of the blue that REALLY make you wonder what the HELL is going on? Wild, unidentifiable genetic Super Dogs, WHAT...!??? So, I'm sitting here THINKING that maybe there is going to be some awesome Science Fiction reveal about genetic experimentation or something, but NO... Nothing like that.
Anyway, basically this is just a very simple and SLOW film. BUT... a good one that is well crafted, beautiful and moody to look at, and well acted throughout. Although I kind of disagree with many people here who are praising the lead Pederson to the extent that they are. I didn't really find him all that impressive (not that I don't like quiet, stoic leads) He just didn't strike me as all that special, but he does a decent job. And, as just about EVERYONE here has already said, Hugo Weaving's performance, even as a side character is excellent (as usual)
I think that if you really have a love for moody, ponderous, vague, picturesque films, and if you don't mind VERY slow, low-key pacing, you should enjoy this movie. It is indeed quite engrossing and very well put together...
I basically agree with Peter Henderson's review (from Australia) in everything he said. If you don't mind SLOW, ponderous films, then you may appreciate this one. It's just that, as a couple people here have stated, there are a few 'WTF' moments plot wise where at the end you are truly wondering what the hell just happened. Thankfully, another fellow here kind of spelled out the basic plot and story which did help a LOT! But, be that as it may, the movie has a good sense of mystery (NOT exactly in the traditional Hollywood sense) that truly draws you in and keeps you wondering what is going to happen.
I mean, I LOVE ambiguous films. David Lynch is one of my favourite directors. And, if you want to talk 'Ambiguous', all you have to do is see 'MULHOLLAND DRIVE', 'LOST HIGHWAY, or God forbid, 'INLAND EMPIRE'. BUT... and it is a VERY BIG BUT like Mariah Carey's... Still, in this film there are little tidbits dropped here and there out of the blue that REALLY make you wonder what the HELL is going on? Wild, unidentifiable genetic Super Dogs, WHAT...!??? So, I'm sitting here THINKING that maybe there is going to be some awesome Science Fiction reveal about genetic experimentation or something, but NO... Nothing like that.
Anyway, basically this is just a very simple and SLOW film. BUT... a good one that is well crafted, beautiful and moody to look at, and well acted throughout. Although I kind of disagree with many people here who are praising the lead Pederson to the extent that they are. I didn't really find him all that impressive (not that I don't like quiet, stoic leads) He just didn't strike me as all that special, but he does a decent job. And, as just about EVERYONE here has already said, Hugo Weaving's performance, even as a side character is excellent (as usual)
I think that if you really have a love for moody, ponderous, vague, picturesque films, and if you don't mind VERY slow, low-key pacing, you should enjoy this movie. It is indeed quite engrossing and very well put together...
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