As this Australian film opens two cars drive through the outback; the policeman in one arrests the driver of the other, an indigenous Australian man, for drunk driving... it soon emerges that the latter man is Detective Jay Swan and he is in the town of Goldstone to look for a missing woman. Nobody admits that somebody could be missing there and the detective clearly isn't welcome... a new mining deal is on the cards to the area and nobody wants him rocking the boat. He continues his investigation though and is soon in real danger, unsure who he can trust.
This film, a follow-up to the film 'Mystery Road', which I've yet to see, is very atmospheric. Calling Goldstone a one horse town would overstate its size and the expanse of desert surrounding it makes it feel very remote... it is clear our protagonist can't call for rapid help if anything goes wrong. As Detective Swan's investigations proceed we gradually learn more about what is going on in Goldstone and the motives. It is soon apparent that certain characters aren't good but others are more ambiguous; most notable local policeman Josh Waters; at times it looks as if he could be one of the problems; at others he looks like a potential ally. Many issues feature; trafficked women, relations between white and indigenous Australians and the power of mining concerns whose security personnel clearly outgun the police. The cast does a fine job; Aaron Pedersen is great as Jay Swan and Alex Russell really impresses as the conflicted Josh Waters. Other notable performances come from Jacki Weaver as The Mayor and David Gulpilil as an elderly Indigenous man who talks to Jay about his past. As well as a good story we get fantastic atmosphere and some amazing shots of the characters in the vastness of the outback. Overall I'd definitely recommend this.
