As an Australian actor/director I found navigating this appalling piece of melodrama a tiresome trek With a cast straight out of "Home & Away", with their whitened teeth, manicured beards and hair and make-up that is atrocious, the film gets off to a bad start. I haven't seen such dreadful acting on the Aussie big screen since "Red Billabong", another shameful melodrama attempting to be a horror film, and missing widely.
Perhaps I've been spoilt by "Mystery Road", ""High Ground", "Sweet Country", "The Proposition" and lately "The Drover's Wife", but this is horrendous. Heath Ledger's legacy with "Ned Kelly" is safe, even with the sidetracking romantic sub-plot that threatened to derail that film.
Bottom Line: If you like the now ended "Neighbours" and the endless "Home & Away" melodramatic TV shows, and the level of so-called 'acting' involved, you'll feel right at home. Everyone else will turn this tripe off after ten minutes, or like me will follow through to the end just for the story, ultimately feeling empty and desiring of a real bushranger film.
Terrible make-up and hair.
Very good cinematography, never put to the good use encompassing Australian flora and high angle shots it should have.
Noteworthy dreadful acting: "Happy" Jack and Ben Hall. Guys, a bit of advice. Pay for some serious acting courses if this is what you want to do, or just go back to waiting tables.
Perhaps I've been spoilt by "Mystery Road", ""High Ground", "Sweet Country", "The Proposition" and lately "The Drover's Wife", but this is horrendous. Heath Ledger's legacy with "Ned Kelly" is safe, even with the sidetracking romantic sub-plot that threatened to derail that film.
Bottom Line: If you like the now ended "Neighbours" and the endless "Home & Away" melodramatic TV shows, and the level of so-called 'acting' involved, you'll feel right at home. Everyone else will turn this tripe off after ten minutes, or like me will follow through to the end just for the story, ultimately feeling empty and desiring of a real bushranger film.
Terrible make-up and hair.
Very good cinematography, never put to the good use encompassing Australian flora and high angle shots it should have.
Noteworthy dreadful acting: "Happy" Jack and Ben Hall. Guys, a bit of advice. Pay for some serious acting courses if this is what you want to do, or just go back to waiting tables.