I had started watching this before, recorded the end, then recorded over it. Whoops. I was totally engrossed, I remember, but had to switch off for some important reason which I can't remember. So when I saw it cheap the other day, I couldn't resist. So was my £3 investment worth it? Was the film worth the wait?
This John Hillcoat helmed film, set in late 19th century Australia, centres on the Burns brothers, Arthur (Danny Huston), Mike (Richard Wilson) and Charlie (Guy Pearce) and how their fates become tragically intertwined by the titular proposition. That proposition - made by pensive, idealistic sheriff (an excellent Ray Winstone) - offers (bloodthirsty outlaw) Charlie the opportunity to save both his and his younger, vulnerable, brother Mike's, lives by killing (even more bloodthirsty and outlawish) brother Arthur within nine days. If it sounds convoluted, it isn't. The film grips in its twists and turns in a similar, if slower and more thoughtful, way to last years No Country For Old Men. At least - just like in fact NCFOM - for its brilliant and lavish first hour, which sees human, character-driven, drama and taught plot development given equal footing by director Hillcoat.
This is becoming the era of the 'postmodern' Western. This is not straight Western fare in the traditional manner, but probably belongs in the same sought of company (owing to its treatment of the subject matter and the depth it places in both character development and issue-based metaphor as well as perspective) as No Country..., The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (the pick of the bunch and a genuine classic) and, for some (though not necessarily me) Unforgiven (another undoubted classic) as well as a bunch of others. This adds another layer of interest because it's an Australian Western, although similar themes (racism, "civilising" the wild, lawless, frontier, violence, brutality, the disappearance of morality) are inevitably explored, and very effectively too.
The intriguing, Machiavellian, plot and story is driven along apace by excellent performances from the ensemble cast. Pearce, Huston and Wilson are brilliant as very different brothers, Winstone is superb as the harassed, thoughtful and troubled lawman and there are notable supporting performances from the rest of the cast, including a compellingly drunk John Hurt. The standout, however, is a brilliantly snivelling and pretentious turn by David Wenham as upper-class Brit Eden Fletcher, who hires Captain Stanley (Winstone) in the first place. He delivers the films best lines and adds a different layer of immorality and stupidity to the piece. Emily Watson, on the other hand, is strangely ineffective - a great shame for those who, like me, adore her.
As I say, the ending is something of a disappointment, though not totally ineffective. It is one of those where characters suddenly start behaving inexplicably contrary to the emotional and psychological universe they have inhabited for the rest of the film. That lets it down. It's still well worth watching, though the ending slides it down from what would certainly have been an A grade of some kind. A shame as there are further brilliant elements. The cinematography is stunning - all wide, sunkissed, panoramic vistas of the outback hanging and looming large over the great pantheon of deadly, taught, violence through which the characters blindly stumble. And the soundtrack adds excellent backup to the cinematography and captures the film's mood brilliantly. It's not a flawless piece, but its still full of decent performances, taught, well put together scenes and an overall feel well worthy of a recommendation. It's a pity that the ending does not live up to the gripping and relentless first two acts.
B+
