emuir-1 I have given a rating of 7 as the photography of one of the least pleasant landscapes in the world is stunningly beautiful, and the slow pace of the film is engrossing, particularly the lack of contrived melodrama: e.g. Robyn almost drowning in a flash flood and falling into his arms after being rescued by Rick or gangs of angry Aboriginals threatening her after straying into their sacred lands; but the subject matter really struck a nerve. Self absorbed misfit hippy decides to walk across the Australian desert with a small herd of camels, as long as someone else coughs up the money. Why? What was she trying to prove? Her father trekked across the Kalahari - so? She did not even do it alone anyway as she had a photographer hanger on, who saw a chance to sell a big story, while he bragged non stop about his exploits in various exotic and dangerous hotspots, and Aboriginal guides for part of the way. The photographer sold the story in advance to National Geographic, who even financed a search party by plane when she got lost. Sorry, but adventure seekers willing to risk their and others' lives in order to fulfill their fantasies don't exactly get my sympathy. Exploring the unknown is one thing, but walking across a desert which has already been surveyed by air and 4-wheel drive vehicles is pointless and to my mind, simply a way to avoid a proper job. Perhaps she should have contacted the makers of hiking boots and asked them to sponsor her trip. Since Ms. Davidson's trek she has made a living by seeking out Nomads and writing travel books about her life with them, and become a darling of the environmentalists and feminists.To be fair, I have now watched the film three times, which means that they must be doing something right, and I have not read Ms. Davidsons's book which might answer a few of my questions. I should also note that I have copies of the books by Wilfred Thesiger, an aristocratic Englishman who worked for the foreign service starting before WW2 and served in Ethopia, and Iraq, was a personal friend of crown prince Ras Tafari (Emperor Hailie Selassie) and who wrote several books about his solo treks across the desolate Danakil, and his life with the Marsh Arabs of Iraq. In his case, Mr. Thesiger was not crossing deserts to 'find himself' but because he was genuinely interested in the nomadic people who inhabited the desert and how their nomadic lifestyle has enabled them to survive for many thousands of years. I lived in Australia for several years, including the Queensland outback, and there were many intrepid souls running sheep and cattle stations in isolated areas who seemed at peace with the isolation and did not wish or need to be in populated areas. I have not visited Western Australia but understand that it is even more isolated. Still, the undeniable fact is that 90% of Australians live in the five big cities, and another 5% or more live in small towns near the big cities. Ms. Davidson's preference for solitude may not be all that unusual.In the early 60's I worked for the Commonwealth of Australia and we could have papered the walls with requests for funding by enthusiastic but usually inexperienced 'explorers' planning expeditions to the outback, Papua New Guinea, and sailing the around Pacific islands in everything from reproduction sailing ships to catamarans to rafts, and all hoping to write a book or sell their story to the magazines. The response was a big NO - why should the taxpayer be expected to subsidize their fun and likely have to send out a search party when they got into trouble?

Seth_Rogue_One So okay, road movie might not be the right word for it considering that our 'heroine' doesn't go by any vehicle or by any roads, but I mean in the end it's the same sort of ordeal as a road movie.Perhaps more of a spiritual journey, but so are the best road-movies.Anyways, the movie is based on Robyn Davidson's real life-tale who set out to with nothing but a dog and some camels go on a 1700 mile trek across the Australian desert.A bit slow (naturally) but Mia Wasikowska in the lead as Robyn does well at engaging us viewers in a fairly restricted performance (which is a great task in itself) and the cinematography is also well-shot which helps as well.If I should point out anything negative then that is that the end for me didn't pack the great emotional punch that I was hoping for, and that Adam Driver's character was a bit annoying (but that could very well been partly intentional).But other than that no real complaints and I would watch it again, and most definitely will at some point.

morrison-dylan-fan Despite having heard of the movie for years and reading praise from fellow IMDbers I for some reason have never got round to seeing this unique-sounding title.Taking a look for what has been added to Netflix UK,I spotted that the film was being listed for being removed from the site the next day!,which led to me finally following the tracks.The plot-1970's Australia:Remembering the walks that her dad took around Africa, Robyn Davidson decides that she is going to take 4 camels (and a faithful dog) on a 1,677 from the Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.Gaining the camels from various camel ranches,Davidson decides that she needs some funds in order to survive her adventure. Writing to National Geographic magazine (NG),Davidson is delighted when NG say that they will fund the project,on condition that a photographer comes along.Meeting NG photographer Rick Smolan,Davidson finds herself put off by Smolan's chatty nature.Pushing Smolan's to the side,Davidson gets the camels and the dog,and beings to follow the 1,677 mile tracks.View on the film:Following Davidson on every step she and her animals make,the screenplay by Marion Nelson superbly uses brief flashbacks to give a psychological depth to what Davidson is trekking over,which never over powers the spiritual and personal discover that Davidson is making on the tracks.Largely taking place in the desert, Nelson avoids things drying up by crossing Davidson's solo walk with intersections which take Davidson out of the self-imposed wilderness,as a sweet bond of friendship builds with Smolan,and Davidson learns of a completely different culture from the aboriginals.Bringing Davidson's journey across the screen,director John Curran & cinematographer Mandy Walker make the full weight of each footstep Davidson and the animals take fully felt,as stylish shots across the landscape gives the movie an excellent heft. Floating in Davidson's self-discovery,Curran brings an extraordinary beauty out of the Aus desert,by drinking up lush blue waves and fanning the heat of the desert onto the viewer with dried browns and yellows.Joining Davidson at "stop points" Adam Driver gives a terrific performance as Rick Smolan,whose eagerness to get Davidson talking, Driver gradually trims,as Smolan starts to get caught up in Davidson's spiritual search.Walking into the real shoes of Davidson, Mia Wasikowska gives an excellent performance,thanks to Wasikowska displaying a remarkable delicacy over opening the spiritual side of Davidson,whilst also threading a gritty determination,which grows as Davidson crosses every track.

BasicLogic i often thought that some of the peoples' reasoning ability and logic are somewhat impaired. there are things that people stupidly do just want to prove something, but as a matter of fact, what they do in extreme behavior is nothing but irrational, self-righteous, meaningless and worthless. people are trying to do something to prove that they can overcome any kind of toughness, to prove that they have strong willpower to deal with dangerous situation like climbing rock, mountains, diving into the deep sea, jumping from a cliff, a plane, riding a motor bike at high speed over 20 cars, running marathon. but what's the purpose of doing these things? why you need to climb up the highest mountain to prove that you could do it? a jumbo jet with 400 to 600 hundred passengers would still fly over the summit that you have reached at 35,000 feet; climbing up the granite rock in yosemite national park, or reach the top of the monument rock without falling to your death....what? is there anything so special that you did it? there's another movie like this stupid one also has such meaningless stupidity: "wild 2014". why you have to trudge 1,000 miles on foot? to rediscover yourself? to punish yourself for what you did before? so let me ask you one thing: do you think that by walking 1,000 miles with just a backpack would allow you to find yourself, rebuild yourself, put you back on the right track of life? why not just stay at home and meditate regularly or do some community services, become a volunteer for some non-profit charity organizations? this young Australian woman led camels and dog across a 2,000 miles Australian desert is just another stupid, meaningless and worthless thing that nothing really to prove. some viewers said they enjoyed the cinematographic scenes of this film, that's another thing i could never understand.