Review of Walkabout (1971) by Al M — 10 Aug 2010

Nicolas Roeg's Walkabout is a breathtaking and harrowing account of two children's trek through the Australian Outback with the aid of an Aborigine on his walkabout. Undoubtably, Walkabout presages the brilliant cinematic achievements that Roeg will achieve in his two subsequent classics: Don't Look Now and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

But Walkabout is in itself a powerful exploration of identity within the conflicting forces of nature and civlization. Roeg creates brilliant montages of image and sound that obliterate the dichotomy of nature/city in a manner that forces us to consider which side is better.

Ultimately, as might be expected, nature seems to gain the upperhand because in nature killing, communication, and traveling seem to at least have a purpsoe--they are tied to something greater instead of merely being connected to the vanities of pride, greed, lust, and gluttony.

Indeed, the Outback is almost an Edenic space when compared to the industrialized, modernist landscape of the city seen in the film's opening and closing segments. Roeg's Walkabout is a powerfully directed, beautifully film piece of cinema that uses a simple story to explore a complicated tapestry of philosophical issues.