Strangerland (2015)
The “strange” part of the name really says something about this
movie. I remember very little of it, other than the overwhelming sense of discomfort I felt while watching it.
Strangerland tells the story of a couple in a small Australian town whose children go missing. This is a drama wearing that wants to get psychological, so it is naturally not that simple. Nicole Kidman, an actress who is often criticized for being difficult to lose in a role, was pretty the highlight of this movie. It was captivating to watch her character come apart at the seams as the movie went on. The kids were…not horrible, which is nice for child actors, and the characters all felt pretty broken and destructive. That aspect really worked. The other thing that worked spectacularly was the small-town Australia evocation and imagery. The contrast of desert vastness with the claustrophobia and insulation of small towns was done really well. Some of the cinematography was breathtaking, particularly when it tackled the Australian landscape.
Sadly, for a movie with so many things going for it, it also lacks satisfying pacing and feels like it doesn’t follow through to its natural conclusion. Things felt like they weren’t fleshed out or explored in ways they were hinted at, and I struggled to keep engaged in spite of all the things that I was committed to. No amount of decent acting and cool imagery could outweigh that, for me.
Rating: 4.5/10 - It's nearly a completely average movie, but sheer lack of memorable ideas or images bumps it a little.
Strangerland tells the story of a couple in a small Australian town whose children go missing. This is a drama wearing that wants to get psychological, so it is naturally not that simple. Nicole Kidman, an actress who is often criticized for being difficult to lose in a role, was pretty the highlight of this movie. It was captivating to watch her character come apart at the seams as the movie went on. The kids were…not horrible, which is nice for child actors, and the characters all felt pretty broken and destructive. That aspect really worked. The other thing that worked spectacularly was the small-town Australia evocation and imagery. The contrast of desert vastness with the claustrophobia and insulation of small towns was done really well. Some of the cinematography was breathtaking, particularly when it tackled the Australian landscape.
Sadly, for a movie with so many things going for it, it also lacks satisfying pacing and feels like it doesn’t follow through to its natural conclusion. Things felt like they weren’t fleshed out or explored in ways they were hinted at, and I struggled to keep engaged in spite of all the things that I was committed to. No amount of decent acting and cool imagery could outweigh that, for me.
Rating: 4.5/10 - It's nearly a completely average movie, but sheer lack of memorable ideas or images bumps it a little.
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