Review of The Water Diviner (2014) by Alasdair B — 28 Apr 2015

This is a film I've been wanting to see since I saw the trailers. It was released in Turkey as Son Umut "Last Hope". Most of you won't being seeing the film until April, but I was able to see it earlier. The film is based on the novel written by Andrew Anastasios and Dr Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios. "The Water Diviner'' is directed by Russel Crowe. He also stars in the film alongside Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney, Cem Yalmaz, and Yalmaz ErdoÃan.

The film starts with the Battle of Gallipoli, where the Turkish army fought against the British and Australians in an campaign of World War I. During the battle, three young men are slaughtered by the Turks, their bodies buried among hundreds of others who fell in the battle. The boys father, Connor (Crowe) and his wife have grieved for years at the loss of their sons. They are distraught at the fact that their bodies are missing and not laid to rest at their home. One morning, Connor's wife drowns herself, leaving him alone with no one. At the burial of his wife, he vows to find her boys and bring them home. The film follows Connor's travels to places like Istanbul and Gallipoli, as he seeks to find his three boys.

The performances in this film are top notch. Russel Crowe is a favorite of mine and he is very good in this. All his emotional moments are well acted and he plays his character perfectly. The second best performance came from Jai Courtney. Many will recognize him from "A Good Day to Die Hard'' in which he played John McClain's dry, boring, and annoying son. He was awful in the film (and the film was awful as well), and I thought the worst of this guy. However, I saw another horrible film not long ago called, "I Frankenstein'', in which Courtney also acted. Surprisingly, he was okay in the movie. He was the only part of the film I didn't hate. In this, he's fantastic. He nails the accent and delivers his lines perfectly.

This is an impressive directorial debut for Russel Crowe. He proves himself to be a very good director, directing actors and action sequences professionally. The script was written by Andrew night with the help of the author of the novel, and it is a very impressive screenplay. Most of the dialogue is well written and natural. Occasionally a phrase or two will surface that is just a bit too modern, but this can be overlooked. The costumes and set pieces are very beautiful. The film won an AACTA award for best costume design, and deservedly so. The cinematography is breathtaking. The film is shot by Andrew Lesnie, and for those of you who know, he shot both the "Lord of the Rings'' and "The Hobbit'' Trilogies. His work here is very impressive. Each shot is beautiful and well framed.

This film succeeds on many levels. From a filmmaking standpoint, it's very impressive. Everything from the direction to production design are nearly perfect. The film also treats the political subtext with great respect. They don't bash you over the head with the politics, but they do show you the political tensions between the Turkish and the Brits. It's quite obvious throughout the film that the Turkish and British forces don't care much for each other, but they are working together to have peace. When Crowe's character interacts with Turkish citizens, they are hesitant to trust him.

Allot of the dramatic elements of the film work as well. You really feel for the central character. It's a very emotional heart wrenching story about a father trying to find his dead children. He is a character you both sympathize with and really like at the same time. Some of the drama is a bit out of place at times. There is a small romance in the film--and when I say small I mean it isn't very noticeable--that feels just a bit out of place. Because it's so toned down and not over the top, the romance doesn't add to or harm the film. It's just there and it doesn't feel like it needs to be. The film doesn't suffer from too many problems. Towards the end, the film takes on an Indiana Jones type of vibe. There are horse chases and some gun fights that are well made but don't feel like they need to be there. There are also moments where slow motion is used and it becomes annoying.

"The Water Diviner'' may wander into an action and romance film occasionally, but in the end it's a very impressive film. The direction and performance by Russel Crowe is fantastic. The script is good, the camera work is stunning, and the drama is powerful. It's a very good story--even if it is fictional--about what it's like for families who's sons bodies are never found after a war. It shows the political side of things in a mature and equal way, and it was completely engaging from start to finish.