Common Sense Media Review
By Sierra Filucci
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Disturbing, arty survival film best for adults, older teens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Walkabout
What's the Story?
After an Australian teen girl and her young brother are abandoned by their violent father they must find their way home through the beautiful and desolate Outback. The siblings show startling resilience and strength as they suffer from hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and oddly-detached emotions. On the brink of death, the duo meets an Aboriginal teen who helps them survive through hunting and foraging. As the group gets closer to formal civilization, the trio splits in a disturbing series of events meant to comment on the contrasts between Western and traditional cultures, as well as the loss of innocence.
Is It Any Good?
The film is full of gorgeous images, fascinating soundscapes, and quietly disturbing scenes that create an evocative and powerful piece of art and commentary. The contrasts between the natural and the urban and the Western and Aboriginal are provocative, critiquing modern culture in a way that's both subtle and stark. The characters are barely developed, and yet their performances are strong. All the positives outweigh some of the odd art-film elements that seem outdated at times, or just misplaced. Sometimes it's hard to understand the young boy, in part because of his accent, which detracts from the overall impact of certain scenes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about survival. What did the teen girl and young boy have to do in order to survive? Were you surprised by anything they did or by how they acted? How did their methods of survival differ from the Aboriginal teen?
Talk about cultural differences. How did the film portray the contrast between the urban and nature-based cultures? What message did you get from the film, and was it different from what you think the filmmakers intended?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 1, 1971
- On DVD or streaming : May 6, 1998
- Cast : David Gulpilil , Jenny Agutter , Luc Roeg
- Director : Nicolas Roeg
- Studio : Criterion Collection
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : March 14, 2020
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