The Nightingale (2 Stars)

This is a film that takes places in Tasmania in the early 1820's. The island was being used as a penal colony for people who had committed crimes in England or Ireland. The convicts were used as slaves by the army, but the native Tasmanians (called Blacks) weren't considered reliable enough to be slaves, so they were either left alone or killed. It wasn't considered a crime to kill a Black.

Clare Carroll, an Irish convict, has worked for the British army for years, and she repeatedly requests freedom for herself and her family. Promises are made and broken. Lieutenant Hawkins rapes her, but gives her small gifts, pretending she's a willing prostitute. She doesn't tell her husband about this. The evening before Hawkins leaves to seek promotion in Launceton, several days walk away, he rapes her in front of her husband. The soldiers kill her husband and her young baby.

The next day Clare sets out to follow Hawkins, accompanied by the aborigine tracker Billy, who intensely hates white people. This isn't empty racism, he hates the Whites because they've stolen his land and killed his people. As they travel together he realises that Clare isn't as bad as the white soldiers, and a friendship develops.

The film is a rape'n'revenge road movie, which isn't bad in itself, but I found it very unpleasant. The rape scenes were so ugly that I felt tempted to turn the film off after half an hour. I made an effort to continue. The problem with the film, as far as I was concerned, was that there was too much rape and not enough revenge. There were rapes going on until the middle of the film, not to mention random murders. When the revenge finally came – that's not a spoiler because it was inevitable – it was all over very quickly, as if it were tagged on as an afterthought.

I might have given "The Nightingale" only one star, if not for the excellent cinematography. The film ratio of 4:3 is unusual nowadays, but it suited the film. The acting is also first rate by all of the main characters.

This is a film that divides people; some love it, some hate it. My objections to the film are of a personal nature. I despise rape and violence towards women in general. It was too much for me to bear, even though I knew that it's only a film. I absolutely abhor rape. If you're less sensitive than me you might like the film. I don't.

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