A Story About Grief

First and foremost, if you consider yourself a 'true blue' horror fan, turn away now, because the marketing of this movie was hideously misleading. The international trailer promised thrills and chills, but I assure you, this film native to my country is nothing of the sort. This is a ghost story, but first and foremost, it is a story about the heartbreak of grief and the effects it has on us when it goes unresolved.
Shot in the format of a mockumentary/fakementary in the style of a news investigation, visually it's something we have all seen before, but in 'Lake Mungo's case, it is completely appropriate.

A close-knit family in rual Australia have just recently lost a beloved family member, Alice (Talia Zucker) in tragic and unseemly circumstances. They are looking for clues, answers, anything to give them peace of mind about Alice's untimely death. However, things aren't always as they seem, in fact, they are considerably more disturbing than they ever hoped to imagine, as various elements of her personal life come to light as the investigation progresses. Details about Alice's passing are dug up, as are details about her life, details that her family never even conceived of, and thus they come to grips with their own views of mortality.

                                           Imagine if this was somebody you love... or yourself.

In a way, director Joel Anderson owes somewhat to David Lynch's 'Twin Peaks' but rather make this film a mind-bender, it is more of a mind-infiltrator- little by little, 'Lake Mungo' travels under your skin by utilizing it's story and it's actors to maximum effect- grief is a universal sensation, and when it comes to losing somebody you love, be it a family member, friend or even a pet, you feel it. It can be encompassing, oppressive and it can make you feel utterly powerless, and it is these feelings that 'Lake Mungo' strives hard to achieve and for the most part, it is startlingly successful because it hits so close to the heart of all of us. The fact this movie is a ghost story is just part of the context- yes there are apparitions and disturbing moments that we can't explain, but the true horror comes from the reality of loss. There are no 'jump' moments, or heavy-breathing psychos or one-dimensional caricatures of humans, Anderson has chosen to conduct his film with a great sensitivity and the notion that less is more. He presents this film with great maturity and consideration not for money shots, but for the people.

As mentioned before the characters in the film aren't stereotypes- they are people, people who you could have known or may know. They don't spurt clever, hip dialogue, they don't cater to any particular gaze, the actors take their roles very seriously and not once does a performance feel forced or hackneyed. Of particular interest is Rosie Traynor as Alice's mother, June who is for the most part the anchor of the piece, given June has arguably taken Alice's death deeper than anybody else in her family, her story, her role and her point of view is that of ours. As she, her family and the news crew delve deeper into Alice's life, as do we.
Another character is not a human whatsoever, but it is the titular Lake Mungo itself, an actual place here in Australia that was thought to have been the first settlement of our human ancestors. Eerie yet beautiful, it has a distinct aura of deep wisdom as well as uncertainty. Legend has it that water is seen as a symbol of death as well as a means to travel through alternate realms, the Afterlife in particular.

On the downside, while several mysteries are resolved, other are not, namely a crucial incident in Alice's alternate lifestyle that comes as a shock. I won't reveal it for obvious reasons, but as we get closer to the penultimate aspect of Alice's fate, this other point is put on the back-burner that leaves you wondering why it was ever included in the first place if nothing else truly comes of it. It was rather disappointing because it truly gave insight to how troubled young Alice was in her final days. Another element that may be off-putting is that this is a slow-burner- it takes it's sweet time to reveal itself, and even then, not all questions will be answered. Those who like their mysteries to be obvious and their ghost stories thrilling and chilling, this isn't the ideal film for your tastes- 'Lake Mungo' is a mediation on humans dealing with tragedy, not demonic beasties from another realm.

The supernatural may at times be frightening, but in the endgame, what truly gets us the most are ourselves, especially when it comes to the loss of those we love. How do we react? What do we do? Do we do anything at all? And most importantly, how do we deal? Even if we know the truth may hurt us, we can't help but want to find a resolution, to find closure, because we want peace of mind, no matter what the cost may be. It is here that 'Lake Mungo' excels- this story isn't a blood-soaked scream, but whisper in your ear in the darkness of the beyond.

Trivia: The most chilling quote in the entire movie may sound bland without context, but when you see it in the movie, it not only makes sense, it will be sure to make your spine tingle: "I feel like something bad is going to happen to me... it hasn't reached me yet, but it's on it's way."


Trivia II: Unsurprisingly, the uncreative big cheeses in Hollywood want to remake this one. Good luck you lazy prats.

Rule 303

It's not often I see a film from my own country that I feel bursting pride for. You see, many of the Australian films I have watched have either been the tired 'Aussie battler' sub-genre (a likeable Aussie larakin dealing against umimaginable odds and earns a happy ending), or goofy, over-drawn comedies (the ABYSSMAL 'Welcome to Woop Woop'). If I had to make a short list of national films I have enjoyed, they would be 'Priscilla: Queen of the Desert', 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', 'Muriel's Wedding', 'Shine', 'The Castle', 'Red Hill', 'Mad Max' (I and II FTW), 'Lantana', 'Wolf Creek' and the subject of this review 'Breaker Morant'.

Very short history lesson- the Second Boer War was fought between 1899 and 1902 and within those years, the British Army enlisted Australian troops to fight within their military forces against the South Africans. One of the most famous war crimes that occured was the unwarranted execution of a South African prisoner and a subsequent execution streak of six more before a German missionary who supposedly witnessed the incident was sniped down. In an attempt to form an armistice to end the war, Lord Kitchner ordered a trial to bring Australian soldiers Harry Morant, Peter Handcock and George Witton to justice in order to show that the British empire does not tolerate barbarism amongst it's own soldiers. However, this impromptu trial was very much steeped in controversy because the accused soldier's defense attorney was given only a day to prepare- in other words, this case was quite shady. Stranger still, the accused were Australian and there was no mention of British soldiers committing any atrocities though one can be certain they did. On top of that, there was evidence to show that Morant, Handcock and Witton were liable for clemency, but these items were dismissed during the trial. Were Morant and his colleagues truly culpable of this crime, or were they being used as scapegoats?

Bruce Beresford may not be a director the world is familiar with, but his works are quite distinct- no matter how black and white the subjects of his films may initially sound, he changes those colours into shades of grey and avoids didactism. In this movie's case, he doesn't flinch from insinuating the possibility that the deeds Morant and his colleagues committed occured, but he doesn't accuse them either. Rather, he shows that in war, acts of violence may have justification, in Morant's case, it was out of self defense. While there are rules of war soldiers are supposed to follow, in moments of extremity, those rules do not apply- self preservation does, in this case, the only rule Morant and his men were following was Rule 303.

                                                            Alas, Fate is ultimate.

This movie does not plea for the audience to have undying sympathy for the accused men, nor does it point the finger, and it is this approach that truly makes this film brilliant (on top of the fantastic talent). This film is a rich example of a character study during a time of crisis and uncertainty. One of the most striking features of this movie is that it involves excerpts of Morant's poetry during his incarceration that acts as a Greek Chorus of sorts throughout the proceedings of the movie. While first person narration could be construed as being unreliable, we are indeed seeing this movie through Morant's eyes and thus, we are only aware of what Morant was aware of while the rest of the events in the movie have either been taken from court transcripts and hearsay. We may not have known Morant's life up until this point, but in the film's case, what matters is what is happening here and now. Whether or not we believe it is completely up to us. If anything, rather than Morant and company's motives being in question, it is the military order of which they served that is placed under scrutiny. The British military has always been known for it's efficiency, strength and adherance to rules of engagement, but that does not mean that it is always an honorable institution, just like any other enforcement organization.

If I were a dictator, I would make you all watch this film, but since I am not and I just don't have the money or inclination to become one (:-P), all I can do is strongly recommend it, but I can promise that after you see this gem, 'Crocodile Dundee' will not be the only movie that you think of when you see the term 'Australian film'. Please do yourself a favour and see it.

For the record, I have absolutely nothing against 'Crocodile Dundee'.