Review of Walkabout (1971) by Johnny T — 07 Aug 2014

One of the most original, visually stunning, and provocative films of the 1970s, Walkabout is timeless in its beauty and unique approach to a classic coming-of-age story. The film is arguably director Nicolas Roeg's finest achievement. Roeg creates in Walkabout a world of his own, a microcosmos that is at once beautiful, primitive, wild, familiar yet unfamiliar, thoughtful, and thought provoking. Walkabout's obvious concern is the relationship between two parties, separated by centuries of diverting societal behaviors, and thus, differentiated perceptions of sexual roles and etiquette. But what ensues is more ambiguous and interpretative. Is it a parable about noble savages and the crushed spirits of city dwellers? That's what the film's surface seems to suggest, but I think it's also about something deeper and more elusive: The mystery of communication. By placing the children in a setting that's as scary as it is awe-inspiring, Walkabout presents one of cinema's deepest and most convincing studies of the mysteries and wonders of growing up. A unique survival film, that has become a cult favorite.

VERDICT: "High-Quality Stuff" - [Positive Reaction] This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent. (Films that are rated 3.5 or 4 stars).