Goldstone

The harsh climate of the Australian Outback is best watched on film or TV rather than actually living there, and Goldstone does it full justice. The driftwood and sand color palette corrugated iron shacks in the vast flat ochre landscape is stunning and the film is worth seeing for this if nothing else. I loved the slow almost dreamy style unusual for an action film, but unfortunately, due to the glacial pace of the action there isn't much else. Although Aaron Pedersen does a credible job, he really isn't given much to do, unlike the prequel, Mystery Road, he spends most of his time getting drunk or sobering up, with no explanation as to why he is on the grog. Maybe he needs a woman to brighten up his life.

I am giving this film a 9 as it is the most visually beautiful arid desert photography since Lawrence of Arabia, but it lost a point with the tired old clichéd story line. How many more times are we going to see the big mining company acquiring land by foul means from indigenous people and farming folk who don't know any better, or if they do, are powerless to do anything about it? The mining companies have the politicians in their pockets and are allowed free rein to fence off property and guard it with private security thugs to hide the illegal activities which are going on. Their nefarious plans are usually exposed when someone goes missing, which brings in a nosy outside investigator with problems of his own who manages to survive various attempts to buy him off or kill him off. I am not knocking the story line, 'The Code' with an almost identical plot kept me awake all night as I binged on the episodes, but the familiarity makes the outcome predictable.

My big question is where do they get the electricity to power the air conditioning those trailers must need in the furnace of the outback? Instead of shooting at people, all Jay and Josh had to do to flush out the villains was shoot out the trailer windows and the heat would have brought out the occupants in seconds. Lastly, although we never see a cell tower, I want to know how they always manage to get perfect cell phone reception in the middle of nowhere, when I can't get a perfect signal in a heavily populated area of 25 million. Does Australia have secret long range cell phone technology which they are keeping from the rest of us?

Before watching Goldstone I was going to watch Mystery Road, but unfortunately Netflix has dropped it. Shame!

I found this film by accident as I didn't realise that they had made a sequel to the very intriguing and dark Mystery Road.

Our lead is sent on a case again in the middle of nowhere in Australia, but he is a wreck (not surprising when you look back on the first film). Anyhow, he ends up having to liaise with a local cop who is passive on all the ills he sees round him, and each is a foil for the other. There is mass corruption and life to some others is worthless, or local cop can end up in either direction, especially as he takes an emotional investment in the goings on of Human Trafficking of young Chinese women.

So what we have is a case of redemption. Will the local cop leave the world as it is, or challenge the immorality? Everyone else seems to just play along, but our lead says no! Will the local cop back him or not?

Like the first film, this is sumptuous, and the real star is the glorious cinematography, which contrasts the dark heart of the human soul. Yet we have hope in it all.

Our lead is as intriguing as ever, and his own failings are something that endear you to him. I'm very happy they made this film, as we continue the journey. There's a Mad Max element to the lead character & story (albeit no fantasy), but it's still violent and unforgiving.

Again, this is a case worth investigating, and I can't wait to the next film in this series. Very dark yet very beautiful to watch, there's a heart in this movie and you will find it. Deserves better than the ratings so far have given it credit for.

This movie just came to the US and it was playing at the theater where I work. I wasn't really planning to see it because the poster looked pretty generic, but after watching the trailer I changed my mind because it looked very well shot and I have yet to see a bad Australian film.

Man, am I glad I watched this. EVERY aspect of this movie is so well handled. The cinematography, directing, writing and acting are all so well done without being too flashy. It all fits with the story being told.

Every single performance was great. I especially enjoyed Aaron Pederson's understated, tormented performance. Understated is actually an accurate adjective for all of this film. The only performance I thought was mediocre was the actress who played May. This was most likely the casting, but I would've liked her English to be more broken. I also felt she was a little too confident for the position she was in.

The writing is really good. The story is nothing revolutionary but it's simple and effective. The movie is definitely slow but I was never bored. What I really loved was the dialogue. There were moments when it was very powerful but never heavy handed. I think the wonderful performances and subtle direction assisted in that. Also, I loved Josh's character arc. His arc, as well as the slow build up, made the climax SO satisfying.

The cinematography was gorgeous but subtle. Expressive but never too flashy. Probably the best aerial shots I've personally seen in a movie. The shootout is so well shot and directed. Really got me going.

All in all I would definitely recommend this to a patient movie-goer. I had a really great experience and enjoyed every second. This score is also something to be mentioned, beautiful and emotional.

Goldstone essentially picks up where Mystery Road left off.

Which is wonderful for the viewer, because Mystery Road is one of my favourite films, I am a huge fan of writer/director Ivan Sen, and Aaron Pedersen's "aboriginal detective" is one of my favourite all time film characters.

What makes these films so special, aside from superb writing, acting, and direction? Cinematography --- as I said in my review of Mystery Road, the country itself is the unbilled co-star and the aerial shots are to die for.

The themes. Sen is too good a writer to avoid core underlying themes of morality, good and evil, greed and kindness. Even when you think you are just watching a sunset, you realize there are other things going on.

Which brings us to the true genius of this writer/director -- in the opinion of this reviewer, Sen manages to construct the tone and mood of a 1940s film noire in 21st century Australia, in daylight, and in full colour.

If you think that is easy to do .. try it some time.

Recommended.

Don't be shy -- give it a try.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Overly curious visitors to an outback mining town are told to be careful where they step, for there are snakes around. When Aboriginal detective Jay Swan is sent by the federal government to investigate the disappearance of Chinese migrant women, he encounters the snakes. The town is full of them. This is because many town residents, including the mayor, are on the take for the mining company and for the rest, they depend on the company in one way or another. "Without the mine," says one resident "there's nothing you know." Even among the Aboriginals, Swan gets no traction in his search for the missing migrants. "Brother boy, you're a guest here like the white man," one tells him. Not only does Swan fail to find someone he can trust, he cannot even trust himself half of the time because of a drinking problem. Yet Swan's persistence and toughness begins to pay off when a town resident dies in suspicious circumstances. As Swan takes advantage of holes in the armor of the mining company and their abuse support network, he also must convince fearful, abused and bullied people to step out of the shadows.

The film revolves around a timely subject; human trafficking. The migrant women in the film and those who dare to speak against the mining company, are bullied, abused and made to feel worthless and insignificant. "The world was not made for you," they are told "you were made for it. You think you can make a difference?!" And these women have good reason to be afraid and stay in the shadows. "When you find the truth," they ask the police, "what will you do? Will you protect us?" Probably not.

Goldstone includes some amazing images of the outback and intriguing shots taken overhead by drones. The film is a thrilling story about an important and timely subject, and it has interesting characters, yet it feels a bit constrained. This may have something to do with budget, acting and/or depth. International premiere seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival and the beautiful, historic Winter Garden theater.