Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Nightingale
2018
***
Director: Jennifer Kent
Cast: Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr, Damon Herriman, Harry Greenwood, Ewen Leslie, Charlie Shotwell, Michael Sheasby

In 1825, an Irish ex-convict teams up with an aboriginal tracker to seek revenge through the Tasmanian wilderness against an English officer who took everything from her. Jennifer Kent's follow-up to The Babadook is a different type of horror film. The story is set in a period of horrific sexism, racism, abuse, and violence. The prevailing air of lawlessness in the depicted era reminded me of Deadwood, and like the TV show, this is extremely unpleasant viewing at times. All in all, however, this is a powerful and well-acted drama with layered main characters, who share a mutual hatred of the English.