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Nicole Kidman, just about unrecognizable, finds herself in a sandstorm on this unusual, curiosity-sparking poster for Kim Farrant's Strangerland
A family under pressure move to a small town in a heat-plagued part of the Australian outback, where their two kids after a while disappear, and the two parents deal with the troubling situation very differently.
Strangerland moves closer and closer to us like a creeping quiver as a parental nightmare and another film that rests assuredly in the local subgenre that I've dubbed 'Aussie dirt'; films that have oppressive story-lines (incest, drugs, abuse, murder and neglect are popular elements) set against Australian landscapes.
SPOILER The ending of Strangerland is left open, which is somewhat unsatisfying, - although I know what I think is up and down, (and it isn't comforting.) But the film is well photographed, by P. J. Dillon (Penny Dreadful (2014-15)), and it becomes a tense and fascinating watch especially due to its three stars, who all give outstanding performances: Joseph Fiennes (American Horror Story (2012-13)), Hugo Weaving (True Love and Chaos (1997)) and particularly Nicole Kidman (Billy Bathgate (1991)) as the afflicted mother is customarily intense and simultaneously realistic in her portrayal.
Strangerland is written by Michael Kinirons (Lowland Fell (2008, short)) and Fiona Seres (Love My Way (2004-07)) and directed by feature-debuting Kim Farrant (Bombshell (2008, short)).
[Strangerland premiered January 23 (Sundance) and runs 112 minutes. Farrant has reportedly stated that it took 13 years to get the film made. It was shot in and around March 2014 in New South Wales, Australia. The film was only in release in North America for 3 days, in which is was #51 and grossed 17k $ in 15 theaters (17 % of the total gross). That was its 3rd biggest market. The two biggest were Russia with 22k $ (22 %) and Portugal with 18k $ (18 %). It additionally made 924k $ on home-market (Australia I guess, because it is an Australian-Irish co-production) video-on-demand, but it doesn't change its status as a mega-flop. Critics were divided on the film: Strangerland is rotten at 39 % with a 5.2 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
A poster for David Michôd's The Rover that reflects the film's gritty, often open-air setting
In a post-apocalyptic future in Australia, a hard, merciless man gets his car stolen. He teams up with a brother to one of the robbers on a killing spree to get it back. Gritty, taciturn, violent and sprinkled with the familiar Australian trademark of hopelessness as its general tone is the universe in which The Rover drags itself through. Watching it, it is hard to accept that the Guy Pearce (Lockout (2012)) here is the same man who 20 years in the past was such a thrilling, enthusiastic presence in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), - a very different, and infinitely more lovable kind of animal. Robert Pattinson (Little Ashes (2008)) is the strongest card on The Rover's hand: He is impressive and very credible as the somewhat retarded brother of the robber. It is hard to get engaged in The Rover, SPOILER which is essentially about a murdering bastard and his stupid 'partner', who also becomes a (child-)killer. We are given no information about the causes of the world's decline, and I also find no satisfaction in the reveal of the ending: SPOILER Pearce apparently wanted the car back so badly throughout the film, so that he could bury his dog, which was in its trunk. The film is written and directed by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom (2010)) with Joel Edgerton (The Gift (2015)) contributing story elements. The Rover is a technically fine but desert-like dry film. For a much betterapocalyptic film, watch The Road (2009). Related posts: David Michôd: 2014 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
Cost: 12 mil. AU$, equal to approximately 8.5 mil. $
Box office: 3.2 mil. $
= Box office disaster
[The Rover premiered May 18 (Cannes) and runs 102 minutes. Filming took 7 weeks in Southern Australia from January - March 2013. The film opened #33 to 69k $ in 5 theaters, widening to 418k $ and #16 in 608 theaters in North America, where it grossed 1.1 mil. $ (34 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 0.4 mil. $ (12.5 %) and the UK with 0.2 mil. $ (6.3 %). Many critics lauded the film, and Quentin Tarantino, also a vocal fan of Animal Kingdom, called The Rover "a mesmerizing, visionary achievement." The film received many nominations in its native Australia, including 7 AACTA nominations (Australia's Oscar), winning two. The Rover is fresh at 66 % with a 6.4 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
