Fiona Seres and Michael Kinirons created the story and screenplay for this disturbing Australian film, directed by Kim Farrant. Some viewers are finding it slow and sluggish, but take a step back and realize that the pacing of the tragic story matches the hours of endless agony victims of trauma endure and the film becomes more meaningful.
Actors Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, and Hugo Weaving are all artists of the first caliber and the strength they bring to his story makes it work well. After leaving Coonawarra, New South Wales because of a scandal created by a 15 year old have relations with a school teacher (Martin Dingle Wall), the focal family are newcomers to the remote Australian desert town of Nathgari, Catherine (Nicole Kidman) and Matthew (Joseph Fiennes) Parker's lives are flung into crisis when they discover their two teenage kids, Tommy (Nicholas Hamilton) – a night walker - and Lily (Maddison Brown), have mysteriously disappeared just before a massive dust storm hits. With Nathgari eerily smothered in red dust and darkness, the townsfolk join the search led by local cop, David Rae (Hugo Weaving). It soon becomes apparent that something terrible may have happened to Tommy and Lily. Suspicions run riot (Lily's sexual obsession with such boy's as Burtie (Meyne Wyattt) and Jarrah (Trangi J. Speed-Coe) among others, rumors spread and public opinion turns savagely against the Parkers – some wonder if Matthew had been abusing Lily sexually when she was younger. With temperatures rising and the chances of survival plummeting with each passing day, Catherine and Matthew find themselves pushed to the brink as they struggle to survive the mystery of their children's fate. Matthew finds Tommy days later but Lily remains missing – and it is that unknown that spins Catherine into near mental collapse as she wanders the desert naked. Secrets and lies and the only thing holding the Parker's together is their estranged but true love for each other.
The film deals with alienation on all levels – with every character in the film – made more dramatic by the magnificent scenery of Australia as well captured by cinematographer P.J. Dillon. This is a tough film to watch but a fine, daring work of cinema.
