Review of The Water Diviner (2014) by Monasarfaty — 25 Apr 2015

This movie works on many levels. Powerful relationships based on love and loyalty are the centerpiece. The movie is an adventure film that follows the journey of an Australian farmer to a part of the world he knows little about.

The end of World War I in Turkey is the backdrop and provides a fascinating look at a distant land at the beginning of the 20th century as it is headed for a dramatic transformation. The historic defeat of the Ottoman Turkish Empire as the result of World War I--the root of the seemingly endless problems in the Middle East today--is depicted in such a way as to give insight into the cultural and political differences that continue to plague relations between East and West.

The gruesome search for the individual bodies of the victims of the tragic Battle of Gallipoli (Winston Churchill's infamous and costly misjudgement) together with flashbacks of battle scenes makes this a powerful anti-war movie.

Given that this is the 100th anniversary of that particular military disaster, the movie provides an opportunity for education about a place and a time that could be far more familiar to Americans than it is.

(The dead were British, Australian, New Zealanders, and Turkish.) Russel Crowe is magnetic as always. The bond that develops between him and the Turkish General provides unexpected plot twists that keep the viewer thoroughly captivated.

Yes, there are some cliches in the movie but they are minor distractions given the human and historic drama presented by the film.