The Water Diviner

Not going to give it 10 out of 10 stars, because you should always save your 10. However, this movie is close to perfect. Very loosely based on what might have been a true story (a war record that mentioned that 'only one father came looking for his sons' at Gallipoli after the war). Really well acted. The war scenes conveyed some of the horror without being gratuitous in the violence or gore. There was some shown, but only briefly, and really just enough to set the scenes. The movie is well- paced, well edited and doesn't drag. The lead actors (including the young Turkish boy) were all perfectly cast. At the start of the 100th anniversary year of the Gallipoli landings, this is a story that was well worth telling. Great job, Russell Crowe.

Set in 1919 The Water Diviner tells the story of an Australian father of three young men all of whom have enlisted with the ANZAC's in the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1. Subsequent to the battle in which the Allied forces were defeated all three have failed to return home and are now presumed dead. Joshua Connor (Russell Crowe) their father, a Victorian Outback farmer with a gift for divining water makes a promise to his wife to bring them home and heads off on a quest to Gallipoli to find them.

This is the reasonably promising premise laid out in the first 20 minutes of the film. I didn't envisage a swash-buckle fest at this stage; nor is it true to say it becomes this, but the film does veer in that direction once or twice over the ensuing hour and thirty minutes. It seems like a betrayal of the seriousness of the subject matter because of this.

The Water Diviner is relatively entertaining but it falls short of what I was hoping for and I think this is because it neither all-out delivers as a full on ravages of war redemption story or as an all- out high-spirited adventure. Having said that some of the battle- scenes (shot in flashback) are unflinching and are probably the best scenes in the film.

The cinematography is beautiful to the eye but the end effect here is that it feels too sanitised at times. There are other things that rankle as well- a burgeoning love story which comes over as too shoe-horned and heavy handed for my liking and in my view steals the central story of its import. There are two scenes in particular where the viewer is required to make the jump from believing in the power of the diviners hand to believing in altogether more mystical powers or insights divined by the same hand (also to do with powers of location). Another thing to watch out for; the film plays host to a stock character or two- witness the very officious English officer who speaks in stereotypical clipped tones, previously seen in countless other films.

If this is Russell Crowe's first film I can't wait to see what is to come. The Water Diviner takes you an an impossible, heart warming journey of a father looking for his sons after the tragedy of Gallipoli. What this film does well is captures both sides of the battle, the Turkish and the ANZAC's. It is visually stunning, emotionally charged and does more than most movies to pry open your empathetic side.

The cast are amazing but I think my praise would have to go to Ryan Corr, Yilmaz Erdogen and Olga Kurylenko for three beautiful performances. All three of them aid Crowe's performance in a highly emotional way and create depth and love within the film.

I highly recommend giving this film a go if you appreciate a film with a good story and good talent and I hope it receives the praise and attention it deserves. It is definitely worth the watch.

The preview did not hint at the complex and gripping tale in store for us, beyond that of a father seeking his sons' fate on the battlefields of Gallipoli. Crowe clearly sought to make a powerful statement about war (my wife was moved to tears during the battlefield scenes) but did not overdo it at the expense of an engaging plot. We left the cinema with a new insight to the Gallipoli story, that being the cost to the Turkish people.

Crowe was very convincing in his role of the grieving, relentless father. Fantastic support role by Yilmaz Ergodan and, although brief, Ryan Corr was very moving.

Don't wait for this to come to DVD, it is best appreciated on the big screen.

The quality of the acting and the production is first class. It is s well directed movie, hats off to Russell Crowe for his directorial debut. I really enjoyed the fact that the movie showed respect to the cultures depicted and kept things on a level playing field. During the screening it was very clear to me the audience was won over and totally engrossed in the movie, just as I was. Watched allot of movies in 2014, but this one is of a higher standard all round. This movie has the potential to be nominated for awards and any it wins would be well deserving. Special mention to Dylan Georgiades who was a delight to watch in the film. I rated this movie a 9/10, and I hope it is successful as it deserves to be, Russell Crowe has done it again.