The Proposition (C or 2/4 stars)
Gory, desolate, dusty, & depressing is the1880's outback in 'The Proposition', an Australian Western directed by John Hillcoat. The Hopkins family has been raped/murdered by brothers Arthur, Charlie, and Mikey Burns (Danny Huston, Guy Pearce, and Richard Wilson). Charlie and Mikey are caught by the feds and Arthur escapes to a mountain hide-out. But Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) has a proposition for Charlie ... find the psychotic older brother, Arthur, & kill him within 9 days.
This way, Charlie will gain pardon, save the younger Mikey from the noose, and the Cpt. would have one less dangerous criminal on the loose. Is Charlie willing to kill his older brother to save the younger? Or do his morals get in the way? You find out in 110 tepid minutes. So, while the Australian landscapes in this film are shot beautifully; not much else happens 'til the last 10 minutes ... seriously.
The acting in this film is fairly decent. Guy Pearce is gaunt, raw, & delivers his lines well. Danny Huston (as the deadly Arthur) is as menacing & rugged as they come. Ray Winstone (as the Captain) is convincingly stoic, yet breaks down & sensitizes himself when around his gentile wife (well played by Emily Watson). But most of the film relies on its' stunning backdrops to tell the story. The dialogue in this film is often too dark, too poetic; barely comprehensible. An example of the dialogue: Actor A says something, actor B responds 15 seconds later with a 3-word answer. Actor A ponders for 10 seconds; responds similarly. 10 seconds go by, and then the scene changes and we see a gorgeous sun-drenched sky. I mean, not much happens here. That's not entertainment to me.
The story is worthwhile, but it's not overly original. We've seen loyalty, revenge, & justice before. And we've seen (all too many times this year) blood, guts, and guns. What's original? The fact that its set in 1880's Australia; that's about it. The last ten minutes have some life, but then the denouement isn't overly satisfying, either. There's actually not much to criticize in 'The Proposition', but there sure isn't a lot to praise, either. The movie is fine, but only a mere blip on the cinema radar screen. I won't think about this film much in the future. And more than once this year, I'm surprised at the amount of decent reviews this film received.
This way, Charlie will gain pardon, save the younger Mikey from the noose, and the Cpt. would have one less dangerous criminal on the loose. Is Charlie willing to kill his older brother to save the younger? Or do his morals get in the way? You find out in 110 tepid minutes. So, while the Australian landscapes in this film are shot beautifully; not much else happens 'til the last 10 minutes ... seriously.
The acting in this film is fairly decent. Guy Pearce is gaunt, raw, & delivers his lines well. Danny Huston (as the deadly Arthur) is as menacing & rugged as they come. Ray Winstone (as the Captain) is convincingly stoic, yet breaks down & sensitizes himself when around his gentile wife (well played by Emily Watson). But most of the film relies on its' stunning backdrops to tell the story. The dialogue in this film is often too dark, too poetic; barely comprehensible. An example of the dialogue: Actor A says something, actor B responds 15 seconds later with a 3-word answer. Actor A ponders for 10 seconds; responds similarly. 10 seconds go by, and then the scene changes and we see a gorgeous sun-drenched sky. I mean, not much happens here. That's not entertainment to me.
The story is worthwhile, but it's not overly original. We've seen loyalty, revenge, & justice before. And we've seen (all too many times this year) blood, guts, and guns. What's original? The fact that its set in 1880's Australia; that's about it. The last ten minutes have some life, but then the denouement isn't overly satisfying, either. There's actually not much to criticize in 'The Proposition', but there sure isn't a lot to praise, either. The movie is fine, but only a mere blip on the cinema radar screen. I won't think about this film much in the future. And more than once this year, I'm surprised at the amount of decent reviews this film received.