Handsome leading man Sam Claflin must have cherished playing against type as this film’s extremely evil villain (all that’s missing is a moustache to twirl). After a horrific event, a young woman (Aisling Franciosi) sets out thru the Tasmanian wilderness to seek revenge on the cruel Captain. She begrudgingly gets an Aboriginal tracker (Baykali Ganambarr) to help her, which amplifies the theme of racial stress. This takes place during the British colonization of Australia, when tension between the occupying army and the indigenous people is especially rampant. The word that kept coming up when watching this film: brutal. Harsh, merciless violence permeates the narrative, which I’m sure will alienate some sensitive viewers. Even so, the journey is compelling, thanks to involving performances and artistic directorial touches by Jennifer Kent (The Babadook) that help lessen the film’s ferocious impact. (Criterion Cinemas only)
(3.5 / 5)