The Water Diviner
Rated: M
Four out of five
Now showing
WITH the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli approaching there was always going to be films taking the opportunity to portray the event.
The Water Diviner is one such film and what’s more, it is engrossing and creates a connection with Australian audiences.
In his directing debut Russel Crowe also stars on screen as farmer Joshua Connor – a character which encompasses the traditional Australian character who does the ‘hard yakka’.
Left broken and grieving after losing his three sons in the Battle of Lone Pine, Joshua fills his days working hard on the farm while his wife Eliza (Jacqueline McKenzie) has gone half mad and blames her husband for letting them go.
When his wife passes away Joshua goes to Istanbul and then Gallipoli to bring the bodies of his three sons home – partly because he also blames himself but also as he feels it is his duty.
There, on military-controlled land and with the help of Lieutenant colonel Cyril Hughes (Jai Courtney) and Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan), he finds the bodies of his two youngest sons.
This was one part which I – being the cynical person I am – did roll my eyes at.
Joshua was able to use his water divining skills and sense where his sons were in a field of buried soldiers.
I question whether it really added anything to the plot or whether there could have just been a quick and successful search instead.
However the plot – particularly in this section – seamlessly connected the present day with the past events on the battlefield perfectly and really added to the emotional impact of the situation.
With one son still missing Joshua heads back to Istanbul to follow further leads.
One of the main things which I believe The Water Diviner did brilliantly was the portrayal of the Turkish people.
There was no stereotypical ‘us’ against ‘them’ attitudes, and it showed both sides had been affected by the war –everyone wasstill grieving and trying to pick up the pieces.
And something as simple as having the Turkish characters speaking their own language really enforced this equality.
This includes Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), the manager of the hotel Joshua stays at in Instanbul.
Former model and Bond Girl Kurylenko gave a brilliant performance as a war widow and mother in Turkey and it is easy to see why she is receiving praise for this role.
However, the relationship which her character had with Joshua was one which seemed both unexplained and too romantic.
Both are still grieving – Joshua having only lost his wife months before and Ayshe still in denial that her husband is not coming home from the war.
While there were no romantic scenes per se, it did feel like there was something between or meant to be between the pair.
I feel this relationship needed to be explained further – whether it be in a romantic way or not.
This was a very minor thing though and overall The Water Diviner has done Australian film proud.