Review by miss_niss

This is a great Australian movie, and not just because it's a faithful adaptation of a well-loved book. The action feels realistic and doesn't take over the whole movie, and there are some real edge of your seat moments. For a movie about the beginning of a war, the violence is actually minimal, but it's appropriately shocking and disturbing when it does occur. It's exciting and well-paced: you're not waiting for it to end, or waiting for something to happen.

Most surprisingly, for a cast of largely unknown young actors (Australian soapies don't count), the acting is pretty good and you really feel yourself being pulled along with these kids. There are a few cringe-worthy moments, but generally they sit well in their characters and give genuine and quite touching performances. Robyn (Ashleigh Cummings) was especially good, playing the moral and religious character without making her seem uptight or old-fashioned.

I'm glad that John Marsden turned down so many offers (over a 100) to turn this story into a movie, it's a real testament to his credibility that he wanted it done properly, he wasn't just out to make money. It's the little touches that I liked. When Ellie looks at an cartoon mural in town showing English soldiers confronting Aboriginal people at First Contact, there's a subtle reminder that Australia actually has been invaded by strangers before.