The Proposition
August 18th 2008 04:01
If there's any justice The Proposition will be recognised as one of the great Australian films in years to come. Director John Hillcoat and writer/musician Nick Cave lead us into a none-too-pretty vision of Australia's colonial past. The film makes excellent use of the outback locations: the sun is constantly beating down upon the landscape, the pretence of civilisation is making its slow intrusion onto this untamed plain. It's not a story that looks back proudly upon life in the 1880s: the characters are dirty, the landscape is open and dusty, abundant flies are just part of the scenery. The violence is stark. The Proposition is the best western ever set outside of the American Old West.
It opens in the middle of a violent shootout: the police have cornered the outlaw Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and his younger brother Mikey. The infamous Burns gang are captured one man short: their leader, the psychopathic Arthur Burns (Danny Huston). He's a man - or perhaps an animal - the Aboriginal tribesmen won't dare approach. The police can't get close enough. Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) offers Charlie a proposition: he has nine days to find and kill his brother Arthur, or else poor little Mikey (Richard Wilson) will be hanged on Christmas Day. It's an exchange of lives that Charlie is willing to accept, having broken away from his crazed elder brother after a series of horrible events. But their bloody past doesn't mean that Charlie is actually capable of killing Arthur when the opportunity arises...
The Proposition is embedded with colonial themes: Captain Stanley is determined to civilise this harsh country. The film offers a genuine subtext about living upon the land versus living in harmony with the land. Stanley lives in a quaint little cottage complete with gardens and a picket fence - the kind of building that wouldn't really stand out anywhere but the arid landscape upon which it sits. The captain is determined to make his wife (Emily Watson) feel at home in this strange environment. He's attempting to recreate stability in his quest to eliminate the madman Arthur Burns from the natural order.
The police also use indigenous trackers to locate the Aboriginal tribesmen considered "rebel blacks" who are hunted and enslaved or killed. The depiction of indigenous culture and the treatment of Aboriginals feel startlingly accurate to the period. It's a harsh reality shown with unflinching realism.
The film pulls no punches when it comes to violence: there are exploding heads, savage beatings and torture. It's delivered without ever going over the top, but it remains exceedingly brutal.
Writer Cave teams with frequent collaborator Warren Ellis for the haunting soundtrack. It's a perfect score that fits this ancient, wonderful landscape. Some of these locations and shots are simply awe-inspiring. The Proposition is a good-looking movie even at its grittiest. The performances are wonderful (including some great work from smaller characters David Wenham and John Hurt), but Ray Winstone is easily the stand-out in this piece. His Captain Stanley is a man with real presence throughout this story.
This is one of my absolute favourite movies to watch and I'd recommend checking it out if you haven't seen it before. John Hillcoat delivered a brilliant film with The Proposition. I'll be very keen to see his approach to Cormac McCarthy's novel The Road (coming to screens later this year).
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I reveiwed it here myself if you're interested.
Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I'll watch it again one day and it probably didn't help that I had very high expectations going in, but this was a massive disappointment for me.
On a positive note, his score for The Assassination of Jesse James.... was utterly brilliant however.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
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Comment by Daniel Mason
Review Mad
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile