Blackrock

Blackrock should go down as one of the best Aussie films around. I remember when it came out in 97' n' i thought it was the coolest movie, n' disturbing . I saw the play in High school at the Bogga Road Jail in 98'too.

The acting is great from all the cast, especially Simon Lyndon, one of his best performances and the filming is shot so well. I listen to the soundtrack all the time, its awesome. Songs from The Cruel Sea, Sidewinder, Rebeca's Empire, Beast of Burben and The Cranberry's, they set the time and place.

This film would get pretty disturbing for some viewer's but stuff like this does happen. But i think it's a great film, go check it out!! David Field has a small roll in this but brilliant acting, if your an Aussie n' you have'nt seen it, GET IT NOW!!! 9/10

The subject matter is completely galling, that of a mass rape and subsequent murder of a teenage girl. This movie's strength however should not be underestimated. It doesn't really attempt to moralise or provide answers, it simply examines the interactions of the teenagers affected by the tragedy. Great acting from a young cast, I have to disagree with dita-3 suggesting that the characters don't develop. The main problem that today's youth faces worldwide is the fact that they are increasingly apathetic and lack true ambition. This movie sets out to make you think, and is overlaid with a churning grungey soundtrack throbbing it's way through. A lovely poignant moment with the Cranberries "No Need To Argue" playing, but the film never dips into sentimentality. Hollywood would have liked to pour a healthy dose of treacle over the ending, thank goodness they never had the chance to do so. I cannot recommended this film highly enough

The creators of this feature chose to slide down a slippery slope where elements were cherry picked from a well known tragedy (they went to some lengths to reinforce the connection), yet a number of key facts were reimagined so the film could see the light of day. So the disclaimer that any resemblance to real life events was merely coincidence is an outright lie.

What we have is a watchable screenplay that would otherwise serve as a passable exploration of morality, teenage angst, peer pressure, mateship and misogyny.

Had the movie delved more into the police incompetence, failure to arrest perpetrators of gang rape and the real extent to which the victim's reputation was falsified and trashed, therein lies a far more powerful narrative.

And on reflection, the extended surfing sequences go to a film that never quite knew what it wanted to be. It was an opportunity lost to produce something that would have been ahead of its time and warranted more serious reflection.

To be completely honest, the only reason i saw this movie was because in our English class we read the screenplay by Nick Enright. And that was it. I wouldn't have watched this movie otherwise.

Yes, this movie contained an almost-taboo subject that hasn't been seen all that often before. But that is the problem: The whole movie rotated around that one happening, this one occurrence.

And, 10 years later, we have become somewhat desensitized to those occurrences, making them not as shocking as they would have been say, 10 years ago.

If that doesn't collapse an already shaky plot, nothing will.

Put it simply, this movie was made to shock people. It was made to bring to light a subject that usually isn't discussed. But the problem, the hole in this plan, was that it didn't.

Another thing i noticed was that the acting was extremely rushed. The dialogue was rushed. The reactions and emotions were rushed. Some of the characters would scream and cry and shout insults at mere words that would only at most leave us frowning. What the director was trying to convey as hopelessness and devastation only came through as characters in need of intense anger management.

Another is that the characters themselves were not given anything to hold onto. If i hadn't read the original screenplay, half of these characters morals would be foreign to me. I had an advantage not many would have had before this by actually having an idea of what these people were like. But the thing is, that shouldn't happen. People shouldn't have to read the original works just to get a genuine idea of the movie.

There were also tiny sub-plots that i guess were added in for extra depth, but only ended up being completely unnecessary.

And, finally, the dialogue. Now, because this movie was set in Australia, and hey, i'm Australian too, i can spot when the slang is forced - a feat that appears in so many other Australian movies. And my gosh, it's forced in this movie. It is all too bush for a bunch of teenagers.

One of the only things i can commend the director on is keeping me somewhat entranced for the better part of the movie. I was interested in what was going to happen, but after the climax i felt it was a little stretched. the dark underlying themes - domestic violence, rape, suicide and relationship issues, kept that interest, as weird as it is to admit.

Also, the party scenes in particular were spot-on. The director conveyed the frenzy of teenage parties so accurately i found myself comparing them to some of the own i've been to. And the locations were decent too, and convinced me. I was also happy to see a few familiar faces - a cameo-like appearance from Health Ledger, Jade Gatt off of one of my old favourite cartoon TV shows and that guy off all saints whose name i can never remember.

For what it's worth, the movie does make you think. I know the rape scene haunted me for a little while even after the movie finished. It is also a fact that when our teacher shut it off in class we were more silent than we ever had been before.

Mostly if you just approach it with the fact it is only a movie you'll appreciate it in the slightest.

As a lover of Aussie films ( and being one myself ) I found this to be entertaining and not a little disturbing.

On the flip side though, I've got to say I really am not a Lawrence Breuls fan. He's got no screen presence whatsoever and is pretty much the low point throughout the movie.

Good to see David Field, Leeanna Walsman. Rebecca Smart snd Simon Lyndon doing justice to their roles.

Linda Cropper plays a good role as Jared's mum. I'm wondering if Jared's interest in Ricko was totally best buddy or if he had the old pillow biting urge. Whatever. He's just a gutless knob.

On the topic of what would I do if I witnessed a gang rape of a friend, would I do anything to stop it?

You bet I would, and I wouldn't be giving no murderer a send off on a surf board.