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The Last Wave -
This Australian movie succeeds at capturing how it feels to enter a totally different reality. Richard Chamberlain's lawyer, David, convinces as a family man who has never had reasons to question his Christian upbringing or the advice to start a family until he suddenly has plenty of reasons. It all starts when he charitably helps some aboriginals, one of whom, Chris, (Gulpilil) is accused of murder. Kicking off with a series of unprecedented hail and thunderstorms that persist throughout, David's reaction to the phenomena, which becomes more and more influenced by his clients, recalls and is just as affecting as Michael Shannon's in the similar Take Shelter. Is it simply strange weather or is something apocalyptic happening? Weir's direction enhances this ambiguity not only with his masterful dream sequences, but also by making you question where the dream ends and reality begins. I would say more about which sequences I enjoyed the most, but they are best experienced firsthand. As for the big case, those who also became aware of this movie because it could be labeled as a crime drama may be disappointed because the case becomes less important as the movie goes on. Even so, that is kind of the point. The trial scene, for instance, did not make me sit upright in anticipation of justice being done or at least getting some answers. Instead, I found myself laughing because it seems like a half-hearted attempt to bring order to chaos.
Mystical, foreboding and above all, strange (in a good way), this is a highlight of the first half of Weir's career. Also, like Where the Green Ants Dream, it effectively questions the value of colonialism, Australian or otherwise. Despite its similarities to that movie and Take Shelter, though, it is very much its own entity. From an exclusive New England prep school to uncharted Central America, Weir was a master of spinning tales about strangers in a variety of strange lands. This one proves he could also pull it off in lands on another plane of existence.
This Australian movie succeeds at capturing how it feels to enter a totally different reality. Richard Chamberlain's lawyer, David, convinces as a family man who has never had reasons to question his Christian upbringing or the advice to start a family until he suddenly has plenty of reasons. It all starts when he charitably helps some aboriginals, one of whom, Chris, (Gulpilil) is accused of murder. Kicking off with a series of unprecedented hail and thunderstorms that persist throughout, David's reaction to the phenomena, which becomes more and more influenced by his clients, recalls and is just as affecting as Michael Shannon's in the similar Take Shelter. Is it simply strange weather or is something apocalyptic happening? Weir's direction enhances this ambiguity not only with his masterful dream sequences, but also by making you question where the dream ends and reality begins. I would say more about which sequences I enjoyed the most, but they are best experienced firsthand. As for the big case, those who also became aware of this movie because it could be labeled as a crime drama may be disappointed because the case becomes less important as the movie goes on. Even so, that is kind of the point. The trial scene, for instance, did not make me sit upright in anticipation of justice being done or at least getting some answers. Instead, I found myself laughing because it seems like a half-hearted attempt to bring order to chaos.
Mystical, foreboding and above all, strange (in a good way), this is a highlight of the first half of Weir's career. Also, like Where the Green Ants Dream, it effectively questions the value of colonialism, Australian or otherwise. Despite its similarities to that movie and Take Shelter, though, it is very much its own entity. From an exclusive New England prep school to uncharted Central America, Weir was a master of spinning tales about strangers in a variety of strange lands. This one proves he could also pull it off in lands on another plane of existence.