StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

SincereFinest disgusting, overrated, pointless

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Scotty Burke It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

brimon28 Every so often we get to see a little film on TV not too long after its hardtop screening. And this one was worth the second look. It's another way of looking at the Australian outback, not for its awesome beauty but for the challenges it sets for people not used to such a landscape. Here we have such a challenge, the protagonists being asylum seekers who are victims of amoral people-smugglers. This is currently a political hot potato in Australia, as it has been for many years. But this film has a quirky edge to it, and the seriousness of the images is relieved hugely by the humour. It really is fun, and the way the Australians in uniform handle the reality is the fun that has come to be known as gallows humour. Imagine you're a cop or a soldier faced with a nasty situation. You grin, and relieve the tension by making light of things. Resourcefulness and mateship are supposed to be part of the Australian psyche, and this great little film has it in spades. Think "Bush Mechanics". Think "Flight of the Phoenix". And listen out for the voice on the radio. That's the beautiful Deborah Mailman, whom the casting agent would surely have loved to at least do a walk-on. See it on wide screen.

mmunier Well, i don't really join the Hoo Haas on this one, I did have some good laughs but nearly yawn at others. I liked the music, I like the scenery, I liked the acting. But i'm not so sure about the whole mix, There were impossible situation and unrealistic too. One may find difficult to accept such fun in such desperate situations, the English a little too perfect for my liking and my migrant background. I was a little puzzled by the landscape and thought to cancel my hopes to go to Egypt one day on this basis, but after reading a comment about that landscape having perhaps being borrowed from somewhere else, I might wait to find the reality. I have traveled in Nth Qld, and from Darwin to Melbourne and saw a desert quite different. But I have never been to Nth WA so can't really tell one way or another. Warts and all I found it a very worthwhile work, but for me I found better value in some other Aussie movies. To each its own, but you have to see it if you want to know :)

trudyp The story and script are highly entertaining. The film examines the issue of asylum seekers in a non-confronting way, simply looking at it through the frame of immediate survival for the three "buddies". The acting throughout is also very convincing, and I will even give 3 out of 10 stars to South Australia for its portrayal of the Kimberley. There were some shots when the two stranded fishermen were walking along a beach under some red cliffs which could almost have passed for Cape Vilaret near Broome, but the "inland" shots mostly looked wrong in terms of vegetation and soil. It is sad that when the landscape is such a crucial character in a film, and when authenticity has been well-served in casting the humans, a similarly authentic approach could not also have been applied to that landscape.

carolom LOVED the film ..the story line the cinematography....there were so many wonderful moments...loved how the Arun 'pan' like figure searched for his Father in spite of the odds...loved how the ute and the old shed scene ...felt the raw human emotion when Arun was in the headlights of the car driven by Gerard K...it was fate and luck as to whether the driver would be friend or foe...so well done! Loved how S.A. was made to look like W.A....and how the mean pirate seemed to be sending the message that "He who is without sentiment or conscience will prevail"...but did his karma-drama get him?..watch the film and find out! Loved Lillian Crombies brief appearance and how the army-tracker really captured the skill and simplicity of the Black-fellas perception of things...especially when they were all running left right and centre and he observed their histrionics. Thought it was funny when the Sargeant was showing his tracker skills by reading the obvious..... Really liked how the vulnerability of dispossession was portrayed and how Yousiff kept on going in spite of having lost his wife and brother and job and belongings...and how he looked after the others in spite of his anguish and frustration. And its true..bars in Asia are full of funny smelling Ozzies and the kind of humour you captured in the film. One of my favourite scenes was when someone said "He has a gun" and the camera panned right back to a synchronised retreat of all in the shot...well done! An AFI for this one I reckon!