Revisiting Gallipoli

Rating: 8/10 (7 April 2015)

There's a lot to like about this movie. It has grand themes: Love, Loss, War and Peace. The locations are vivid, the pace is good, the performances un-showy and believable. The farmer's quest for his lost sons is interrupted with short but powerful flashbacks to the gruesome horrors of the battle. The quest has a predictable outcome and introduces a clumsy suspense element into the human story. You also kind of know how how the charming if slightly awkward love-story will end, although, in fact, the climax of this particular story is perfectly handled.
This is a touching, almost noble picture, well put together by Mr Crowe in his directorial debut. But somehow there's a vital element missing: it doesn't feel tragic enough. The epic themes have been diluted to make THE WATER DIVINER a crowd-pleasing pot-boiler.