http://www.metromagazine.com.au | © ATOM | Metro Magazine 195• 51A boys’ own adventure
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parlay his critical and commercial success (in Australia, at
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worthwhile international edge, as did so many genre efforts
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/LNH1NFTD,)TMFKDworks best when its cast is allowed to
interact. The four main actors make a compelling combination
for as long as they’re bound by the narrative to actually be to
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with the unique sort of tension that arises when a group of new
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such relationships, which aren’t yet fully formed, are shown to
easily give way to breaking tempers and shifting loyalties. The
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impressive portrayal of a physically depleted adventurer whose
polished demeanour gradually unravels – give)TMFKD’s second
act a particularly vibrant hum of tension, which is bolstered by
beautifully photographed jungle locations and evocative sound
work. But even this arc begins to become a drain on the atten
tion span once the narrative’s focus turns to just Yossi, with the
rest of the characters either disposed of or whisked to safety.
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performance in the'@QQX /NSSDQfranchise (2001–2011), is likely
to garner)TMFKDthe same sort of curiosity factor that has ac
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has spent the subsequent years choosing a variety of projects:
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opportunity somebody gave me to do something different and
show something different — just take it.’,WpV WR 5DGFOLIIHpV
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to memorable roles as a farting corpse in2VHRR QLX ,@M
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Much will be made of the weight loss he achieved for)TMFKD,
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sort to in an effort to prove their chops as serious thespians. But
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ment, his body emaciated and barely able to hold the clothes
that hang off of him, is truly powerful – aided by the fact that it’s
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it being an awfully convenient moment of storytelling, it’s not
entirely unwelcome, given all that the audience has watched
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tor’s lithe frame provides the character of Yossi with a fragility
and even a relatability that would be otherwise unachievable
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story, it was wise to do so in this aspect most of all.Audience drawcards
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!DKJN $WODQHLDMS, a grisly, gruesome satire about the Colombian
outpost of an American company whose employees are forced
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was appropriately marketed as ‘.EkBD 2O@BD>0LNH -XGJH
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(2016). It may be a surprise to learn that!DKJNis his most con
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!@SSKD 1NX@KDamong them – is ever particularly nuanced.
Both!DKJNand)TMFKDmade their Australian debuts at
the 2017 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), the
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stream opener in many years by a wide margin – perhaps
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failed to accomplish. And mainstream)TMFKDcertainly is. It’s
easy to see audiences enticed by its exotic thrills, particularly
if seen on a big screen, on which its lush imagery can be
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the themes it broaches – man against nature, the youthful
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)TMFKD, and doing so in Australia. The craftsmanship on dis
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storytelling to the next level, too.&KDMM #TMJR HR @ EQDDK@MBD VQHSDQ BQHSHB @MC @TSGNQ EQNL ,DKANTQMD
who has appeared on festival juries around the world. His arti-
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Hutchinson Award for Writing on Australian Cinema. mEndnotes(^1) %UHQGDQ 6ZLIW o6SLHULJ %URWKHUV 6KRRW 3UHOLPLQDU\ )RRWDJH IRU
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