[FILM REVIEW] THE FLOOD Review (2020)

January 6, 2021 Dave Aaron Jeffrey, Angus Rose Dann, Anni Finsterer, Barnaby Hanning, Benedict Wall, Brendan Bacon, Dalara Williams, Daniel Potts, David Griffiths, Dean Krywood, Eddie Baroo, Joseph James Brown McLeod, Joy Jasmin Dann, Justine Angus May Brown McLeod, Karen Garnsey, Keith Learn, Lance Brown, Lucas Dillon, Maci Grace Johnson, Paul James McLeod, Peter McAllum, Pricilla Vida Isabelle Dann, Rob Flanagan, Rupert Hanning, Sarah Butler, Shaka Cook, Simone Landers, Summer Sky Dann, Suzannah Bayes-Morton, The Flood, Toby james Sakeld, Tyson Towney, Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, Vida Elaine Brown

Summary: During World War II a young Aboriginal woman sees the injustice that she and her community endures under white settlement and decides to get revenge.

Year: 2020

Cinema Release Dates: 21st January 2021 (Australia),

VOD Release Dates: 6th January 2021 (Australia)

Country: Australia

Director: Victoria Whafre McIntyre

Screenwriter: Victoria Wharfe McIntyre

Cast: Brendan Bacon (Tick), Eddie Baroo (Bushy), Suzannah Bayes-Morton (Marlee), Lance Brown (Doug Bradfield), Vida Elaine Brown (River Brown), Sarah Butler (Sister Marie), Shaka Cook (Waru Banganha), Angus Rose Dann (Alinta), Joy Jasmin Dann (Lowanna), Kenneth Paul Dann (Nudgee), Priscilla Vida Isabelle Dann (Darri), Summer Sky Dann (Molly), Lucas Dillon (Young Kelly), Anni Finsterer (Wilma Wilson), Rob Flanagan (Terry), Karen Garnsey (Pam Bradfield), Barnaby Hanning (Young Shamus), Rupert Hanning (Young Paddy), Maci Grace Johnson (Wanna), Aaron Jeffrey (William ‘Minto’ Minton), Dean Krywood (Shamus/Paddy Mackay), Simone Landers (Binda Banganha), Alexis Lane (Jarah Banganha), Keith Learn (Sorley Mackay), Peter McAllum (Gerald Mackay), Joseph James Brown McLeod (Gari), Justine Angus May Brown McLeod (Alkina), Paul James McLeod (Uncle Jack), Michael McStay (Constable Neale), Jillian O’Dowd (Constable Brady), Socrates Otto (Miller), Daniel Potts (Detective MacGregor), Soraya Rennie (Billie), Toby James Sakeld (Jackson), Petra Salsjo (Majorie), Tykia Simpson (Young Jarah), Tyson Towney (Knorre), William Usic (Jim Wilson), Bendedict Wall (Kelly Mackay), Dalara Williams (Maggie Banganha), Sarah Woods (Meg)

Running Time: 117 mins

Classification: MA15+ (Australia)

OUR WORDS THE FLOOD REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ The Flood Review:

I often laugh as a film critic when I see somebody try to compare one film to another when really the films actually don’t share that much in common. That is certainly the case with the brand new Australian film The Flood. As soon as the trailer landed people were comparing it to The Nightingale.

Now I will admit that The Flood does share some similar themes – revenge and retribution (but so does a million other films out there on the market) and it does explore indigenous culture, although to say that it explores the same aspects of indigenous culture as The Nightingale I would have to say is incredibly narrow minded.

Directed by Victoria Wharfe McIntyre (Miro) The Flood explores several themes that I have found to have been sadly not explored on the Australian cinematic landscape. Topics such as indigenous Australians fighting for Australia in war and the brutal rapes that many First Nation’s women had to endure at the hands of the white settlers.

The film centres around Jarah Banganha (Alexis Lane – Cleverman) who during the time of World War II watches as her family is ripped apart by the new ‘laws’ introduced by white settlers including the cruel Gerald Mackay (Peter McAllum – The War At Home) and his son (Dean Kyrwood – Water Horse). While Jarah experiences the first hand cruelty delivered by the settlers her anger is further fuelled when her husband Waru (Shaka Cook – Top End Wedding) returns from war is not treated the same way as his best friend, Minto (Aaron Jeffrey – X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

There is often a harsh diversity to The Flood. The visuals of the Australian bush from cinematographer Kevin Scott (Backburning) are truly spectacular and beautiful but at the same time the events happening in and around them are of sheer brutality. Having said that though the brutal nature of the film is in context and possibly the only way to describe what Victoria Wharfe McIntyre does with the film as similar to the style of Quentin Tarantino with Django Unchained or Inglorious Basterds.

While important themes and often forgotten parts of Australian history are explored during The Flood it is important to remember that at the heart of this film is a genre flick. Dig deep under the storyline of the film is a harsh, yet realistic western caked in revenge in desperation. The mere fact that the screenplay allows for character and character development of course means the film is a lot better than some other revenge flicks I have had to sit through over the years.

I think what I will take away from this film though is the excitement that surrounds the future of Victoria Wharfe McIntyre, Alexis Lane and Shaka Cook. I get a distinct feeling that McIntyre is going to be a great Australian director while it will not take long for Hollywood to come calling for Alexis Lane. Shaka Cook is also sensational in this film and of course has already been snapped up to be part of the Australian production of Hamilton.

While comparisons to the masterpiece that is The Nightingale is completely unfair in its own right The Flood is an amazing genre film that lifts the lid on some of the darker sides of Australian history.

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture Rating:

IMDB Rating:

Other Subculture The Flood Reviews:

Nil

Trailer: