Strangerland

The most recognisable of Australian films have predominantly been concerned with one of maybe three issues - how the white population deals with its bloody history, the incomparable heat and the hostility of the land and, finally, the idea of civilisation in a savage land. The Proposition, Picnic At Hanging Rock, Mad Max, Wolf Creek - all of them deal with both the brutality of the land and the people in it.

Strangerland is no different, telling the story of a family unit who have been uprooted and moved further into the outback of Australia. Nicole Kidman and Joseph Fiennes are a struggling couple with two young children, Lisa Flanagan and Meyne Wyatt, who are becoming increasingly capricious. As the film progresses, it's revealed that the daughter has been sexually active whilst the son, it appears, is becoming more and more withdrawn. One night, without explanation, the two children decide to leave their home and disappear into the outback. A search is conducted by Hugo Weaving, who himself is trying to understand the reasoning behind their flight from home. Meanwhile, Kidman becomes increasingly deranged and frenzied whilst Fiennes slowly simmers into boiling rage.As we watch the film, it becomes clear that the two children are essentially extensions of their parents. Kidman's character has repressed her physical urges whilst Fiennes is dealing with a huge amount of unresolved anger that bubbles in various ways. The children have these same traits, but for because of their youth, do not feel a need to repress it.

Director Kim Farrant cleverly allows the crushing sun to become almost another character in the film, providing the film with a much-needed sense of progression. The children have to be found with a certain amount of time, otherwise they'll die. However, the internal politics of the family becomes more and more the focus of the film and the nature of their relationship is analysed and assessed by Weaving and the audience. It makes for a fascinating watch, but eventually, there needs to be some forward momentum. Of course, that's the issue with these type of ethereal missing-person thrillers. You're looking for a payoff by the end, but the truth is that there really is one. Instead, you're often left with a hollowed out feeling and that's what Strangerland captures effectively.

Nicole Kidman gives an incredibly strong performance, who becomes progressively more frantic and volatile with each passing scene. There are few moments when her mania becomes a little bit unconvincing, but it's purely because we can't effectively understand what the situation is like. Hugo Weaving plays his role like an Australian Tommy Lee Jones, all quiet reserve and a sense of order to a situation that bubbles under the surface with chaos. Joseph Fiennes only pops on screen when his character is unleashing that trapped nerve of rage, launching himself fully with a real intensity. The children, Lisa Flanagan and Meyne Wyatt, are interesting in their roles, but they're not on-screen long enough to make an impression. Maybe that's the point; that they're supposed to be sketches of people instead of fully realised.

Overall, Strangerland is an intriguing experience with a strong central performance by Nicole Kidman. Farrant's direction and the screenplay by Michael Kinirons and Fiona Seres has an air of authenticity to it. There are more than a few problems with pacing, with a few scenes perhaps a bit too drawn out for the sake of creating atmosphere, but it's all in service to the overall theme. Time draws out and becomes a crushing weight for everyone - the audience included.