The Boer War has ended. Arjan van Diemen (Ray Winstone) arrives in New Zealand. The soldiers are returning home but he's a former Boer soldier who lost everything. Three drunken white soldiers find a white woman with a Maori man. The white men start a beating and one of them accidentally kills another. The innocent Maori is accused of murder and becomes a hunted man. Arjan joins the hunting party for the reward.
For the longest time, I struggle to formulate Arjan's journey. I don't think that this movie ends perfectly but it ends well enough. One way to help is not to show the inciting incident. His innocence or guilt can be achieved in other ways. The arrival to that opinion can parallel Arjan's journey. It's harder to pinpoint his thinking unless it's laid bare. I do like the finger idea but it's a little rushed. They should reveal his finger premise from the very beginning. All in all, this is a riveting chase movie with two great actors and a few minor problems.
For the longest time, I struggle to formulate Arjan's journey. I don't think that this movie ends perfectly but it ends well enough. One way to help is not to show the inciting incident. His innocence or guilt can be achieved in other ways. The arrival to that opinion can parallel Arjan's journey. It's harder to pinpoint his thinking unless it's laid bare. I do like the finger idea but it's a little rushed. They should reveal his finger premise from the very beginning. All in all, this is a riveting chase movie with two great actors and a few minor problems.