Rent The Nightingale (2018)

An epic, bloody journey through the Tasmanian wilderness - The Nightingale review by Philip in Paradiso

The story takes place in the early 19th century (1825) in Tasmania: the 2 lead characters are an Irish girl and a young Aboriginal man that she meets when she is looking for a tracker. The plot is simple, linear and fairly predictable since it is a bloody revenge story: A harms B, and B wants revenge, pursuing A as a result. What is far less predictable is the way that the revenge will be exacted...

The backdrop is the extremely violent colonization of Tasmania by Britain, with soldiers and settlers, as well as convicts, pitted against the native Aboriginal population. Although the notion of genocide has been disputed, what is certain is that, by the end of the so-called Black War (see Wikipedia article), there were no native Tasmanians left: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_War

The film is very good because it is not only about violence and retribution. It is also about the rapport between the 2 key characters and how, gradually, it changes and alters. Overall, an excellent and tense movie that you are unlikely to forget.

Unflinchingly Meditation on Violence - The Nightingale review by BG

SPOILERS... In Tasmania, 1825, former Irish convict and now servant Claire (a superb Aisling Franciosi) is raped by British soldiers, her husband and baby murdered, so enlisting aborigine tracker, Billy, she persues them through the wilderness to seek bloody revenge. During the journey there are gradual transitions. At first Claire is demented with rage (naturally) and savagely kills one of the soldiers, but as her nightmares increase, she seems to lose a grip on reality as well as her blood-lust. Her negativity towards Billy decreases as they strike up a bond; him realising that she is justified seeking revenge, and she begins to sympathise with his plight of prejudice against his people. As further atrocities occur against the aborigines, roles are reversed, and now it is Billy who is after revenge.

An angry film from the director of THE BABADOOK, and you're going to HATE these officers, longing for their comeuppance. This powerful film has a poignant ending as Billy, gutshot, sits by the shoreline watching the sunrise as Claire sings an Irish song... like a "nightingale". This story could have easily been a Western, with Indians substituted for aborigines.

Predictable but enjoyable - The Nightingale review by LC

Of all the film genre, the revenge drama is probably the most predictable: a group of evildoers commits a terrible crime against the hero (or their loved ones) - the hero then spends the rest of the movie tracking them down and exacting bloody justice. That said, whilst 'The Nightingale' doesn't really subvert the genre, it's one of the better examples of the form, with a good cast and interesting setting. The addition of a second 'wronged person' in the form of the native guide also adds a nice wrinkle, allowing the film to examine racial as well as sexual prejudices, and adding another layer to the story.

Difficult to watch, but worth the effort. - The Nightingale review by LT

A dark but gripping storyline, it pulls no punches in its account of some of what went on in that period of time. All the actors involved play their parts well, their performances, for good or evil, keep you gripped throughout.

Well worth a watch.

Brutal but brilliant - more than a revenge film - The Nightingale review by HW

I love how many good western films have been coming from Down Under these last few years. This one especially stands out, being set during a brutal period of Tasmania’s history and featuring an Irish heroine: Clare, a young convict woman tracking down the monstrous Brit soldiers who destroyed her life. In order to find her way through the maze-like Tasmanian forest, she enlists the services of Aboriginal tracker Billy. Their relationship grows from outright distrust to powerful understanding and care: the only beam of hope in this bleak, bloody film. 

This epic had a lot in common with the more recent Australian western ‘The Flood’. Both were directed by women, both feature avenging heroines and both draw attention to atrocities against the First Nations. They also both explore redemption as well as revenge. But while ‘The Flood’ was dream-like, ‘The Nightingale’ opted for a more ‘Proposition’ style in its merciless, realistic depiction of history and trauma. There are a few hard-to-watch rape scenes and you are almost numbed to the amount of Tasmanian native characters being callously killed. Both Clare and Billy realise, as an Irish woman and an Aboriginal man, that they are both victimised outcasts of the savage colonial system sweeping through Tasmania. Even in the wilds they aren’t safe from roving packs of armed white men ‘civilising’ the wilderness. 

The cast is phenomenal. Aisling Franciosi as Clare teeters between grief, madness and rage in an absolutely captivating, emotionally exhausting performance. Baykali Ganambaar is an absolutely convincing first-time actor, depicting the hurt and anger of an entire race. Brit actor Sam Claflin gives a terrifying performance as one of the most despicable villains I’ve ever seen: a one-man representation of the exploitative, violent colonial system.  

So this is not an easy watch but an essential one. Director-writer Jennifer Kent uses western conventions to expose unknown history that’s relevant for all oppressed people around the world in whatever age. It serves as a history lesson and a warning, as well as giving some small hope that within the most horrific circumstances, unlikely friendships and connections can grow and overcome barriers of race, gender and misunderstandings; in this case, the relationship between Clare and Billy. 

Tries to do too much? - The Nightingale review by PD

Mmm .......... writer-director Jennifer Kent wants to rage against historical injustice here, but unfortunately it all falls a bit flat, perhaps as a result of wanting to do too much.

Set in colonial Australia / Tasmania, it's laid on on with a trowel that the English use Irish prisoners as slaves and “civilise” the native population by exterminating them ... mmm .... and Aisling Franciosi as revenge-seeking Clare, is, I'm afraid, not very convincing (we're obviously on her side, but I wouldn't bet on her to ride a horse for 20 paces, let alone shoot anyone). And then just when you think it might build up to something important it builds up to a ridiculous (and bafflingly male-centred given the appealing 'feminist' premise) ending.

The important theme of the sordid history of English colonialism is unfortunately packed into one cartoonish character, and this has the effect of leaving us with little to think about. So, in the meandering last half hour (we're kept for over 2 hours, and it felt like it) any power that some scenes have had (and there are many) is dissipated in a truly awful melodramatic, cliched finale. So all in all a bit of a disappointment from a fine director.

Subtitles - The Nightingale review by CM

There are no subtitles, except for the bits in languages other than English.

It is a good film, worth watching, if difficult.