The Tracker (2002)

I watched this many years ago and bits of it still spring to mind 3 or 4 times a year since then.Many movies about times past have a sad and undeniable message about racial issues. This certainly does that. But "The Tracker" has a core of hope and insight that is as uplifting as any movie could be that deals with this aspect of our society.

This is the extraordinary allegory of an Australian Aboriginal tracker, in forced servitude to English soldiers in 1922. It is the first staring role for iconic Aborigine actor David Gulpilil, featured in many films including Nicholas Roeg's "Walkabout" (Gulpilil's first film), Peter Weir's "The Last Wave", as well as a small role in "Crocodile Dundee." An exceptional actor and an amazing person, I feel a brotherly kinship with Gulpilil although we are polar opposites. The only connection I have with Gulpilil is our age (we were both born around 1948) and a spiritual brotherhood. A search party of four: the Fanatic who leads the search party; the Follower, a young recruit trying to prove his fitness; the Veteran, an old soldier pressed into service; and the Tracker seek the Fugitive, an Aborigine accused of raping and killing an English woman. The Tracker, while enslaved by the English, retains his dignity, free spirit and kinship with his homeland and his people. His remarkable knowledge of the land is displayed by his tracking skills throughout the story.The search proceeds through the incredible Australian outback, to a wonderful soundtrack performed by the Aborigine singer Archie Roach. Aboriginal cave paintings along the route document incidents that occur during the search party's trek. The Fanatic heartlessly slaughters innocent Aborigines encountered during the mission. "They'll give me a medal for it," the Fanatic boasts. The apparently docile Tracker has his own agenda. While the soldiers seek English justice, the Tracker pursues a more universal justice. He follows higher ideals, nurtured by his Aboriginal roots. He endures mistreatment but remains undefeated.This is one of the most beautiful, passionate, engrossing and atmospheric films I have ever seen, and I have seen thousands of films. No one should miss the opportunity to enjoy the aesthetic ecstasy of watching "The Tracker." This movie is a game-changer!

The movie shows the racism exists in Australia, and the subsequent humanity shown by fellow persons. The movie is having intense emotional characters which are delight to watch. Spectacular camera showing the wilderness of Australia and background score treats us worth watching.A different movie from the usual movies. The songs in the movie are noteworthy and makes us to stay with the tracker in the journey. I seen the movie in Kuwait during the "Australian film festival-may 2007". Hats off for the director to take a bold theme about racism. A movie with a difference. We hope by seeing this type of movies let people be kind and love with their house hold servants and in workplace

I wanted to like this film more than I did - I wanted to be able to rave about it unreservedly, but I couldn't.First, I loved: David Gulpilil's performance. Such subtle contempt - almost as subtle as the way he actually tracks the landscape. This is an expression that should be seen more often in Australian cinema, just as there should be more opportunities for actors such as Gulpilil to shine. Secondly, I loved the paintings. At moments of transformation or violence (or transformation through violence - three words that sum up the history of the Australian continent) we were shown a still photograph of powerful, colorful paintings that were obviously (I hope! - I couldn't find a credit for them) by Aboriginal artists.On the down side, the white actors were not allowed a great deal of subtlety, which was a real shame. In particular, Gary Sweet's character was so one dimensional as to be a little annoying, and I am not sure if this was the writing or the performance. Where was the fear behind the arrogance? Where was the hardness rather than blankness? I know that this was an opportunity for the story of The Tracker to shine, but that is no reason to not have well balanced performances (and writing) for the white characters also - or the story begins to lose its power and punch.So, on balance, the performance of Gulpilil and the power of the story wins out (also probably motivated by the collective guilty conscience of all Australians) over the one dimensional white characters. A great companion piece to 'Rabbit Proof Fence'.