Starring: Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr, Michael Sheasby, Damon Herriman
Distributor: Transmission Films
Runtime: 136 mins. Reviewed in Sep 2019
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This Australian drama is set in the British penal colony of Van Diemen’s Land in the year 1825, and tells the story of a young woman who seeks revenge for the acts of violence against her and her family. The title of the movie reflects the fact that a convict woman sings to reflect the abusive trauma of her captivity. The Director of the movie, Jennifer Kent, was celebrated as Best Director for her film, “The Babadook” in 2015. This movie is Kent’s second film.
Clare (Aisling Franciosci) is a 21-year old Irish convict woman, who witnesses the brutal killing of her husband and baby by a sadistic British army lieutenant, Officer Hawkins (Sam Claflin) and his soldiers. Clare was held captive beyond her 7-year sentence, and was repeatedly raped while in captivity by Hawkins, who claimed she was his “property”. Claire’s husband, a fellow convict (Michael Sheasby) and her baby were punished in the worst possible way for his objection.
Clare attempts without success to make Hawkins accountable for his actions, and decides to take justice into her own hands. When Hawkins leaves to try to rescue a threatened promotion up north, Clare also leaves to track him down. Needing help, she hires an Indigenous tracker, Billy (Baykali Ganambarr) to accompany her into the wilderness of Tasmania to seek her revenge. Billy himself has a past filled with violent happenings, and together Billy and Clare track Hawkins through the Tasmanian wilderness, fighting to overcome the distrust and prejudices of white people they engage with, as well as Indigenous resistance. Billy has a special dislike of the English, but bonds with Clare when he realises they have shared traumas, and she is not English. With difficulty, Clare and Billy accept that they are allies, and work together to avenge their past. Both Aisling Franciosi and Baykali Ganambarr deliver outstanding acting performances.
The film is a violent movie that shows multiple acts of rape and murder, and it graphically depicts colonial violence and racism. The movie was produced in discussion with Tasmanian Indigenous elders who considered that the film honestly and accurately depicted their history, and felt that the film was telling a story that needed to be told.
If one looks behind the brutal acts that were committed – Hawkins kills anyone he finds, even children – the film aims to communicate kindness that was nevertheless there to be found in dark times, and argues that anger needs to be felt to fully appreciate the depth of compassion that can lie beneath it. That assumption makes the film controversial – the forces of tyranny lie everywhere.
The film rages against historical injustices, especially by “white rule” against Indigenous Peoples. It shows the English using Irish prisoners as slaves, and expressing their desire to “civilise” the Indigenous population by exterminating it. It is a gruelling expose of white, male aggression. For many, the film may be too violent to endure, especially in its display of repeated sexual assault. It is as disquieting as Kent’s horror movie, “The Babadook”, that focused on brutality to drive its messages home. Kent’s direction of this movie is firm, focused and accomplished, but completely uncompromising. Photography of the Tasmanian wilderness is exceptional, and the camera records the land’s scenic grandeur starkly.
This is a long movie that drives its messages relentlessly home. In no way, is it a comforting film. Its violence is unnerving, but it focuses meaningfully on the abject tyranny of colonialism and it is an angry movie about terrible injustices. The film frequently conveys fantasy depictions that fit its story-line, but they are almost as unnerving as the real events.
The film is quality viewing, and impressively represents serious Australian-cinema, but those who view it need to be prepared for what they will see. Kindness and sacrifice win in the end, but the route to them is utterly grim. This movie is more than just MA15+. It lies at the cutting edge of “R”.
Peter W. Sheehan is Associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting
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