Backbencher

This film is the story of two children a teenage girl and her 7 year old brother stranded in the Australian outback. They become trapped there when their father drives them out in to the middle of nowhere, lights the car on fire, then shoots himself in the head. Lost and alone, the two must find their way back to civilization. Just when their provisions have run out, an Aboriginal child finds them and guides them through the bush. Hes on his walkabout, a several months long journey across Australia where he must survive off the land but the end of his odyssey is something that neither he nor his two white new friends could have anticipated.

I got the never ending conflict between civilization and nature, and how the two constantly work to destroy one another. Man is continually tearing down the wild to build concrete fortresses that, left unattended, are reclaimed by the land. Its clear here, as it was in many 70s films, that civilized humanity is the enemy. By today's standards, the films message may seem a little naive, but that by no means renders it invalid.

For the most part, the film is an involving, occasionally hypnotic. Some of the photography, including images of the outback and its oddities, are spectacular. There are also several effective visuals between man and nature, such as the sequence where Agutters, a child of civilization, is enjoying a quiet swim in a natural pool while a group of Aborigines are curiously exploring the burnt out shell of a car. All throughout the film, the differences between man and the world are highlighted, and the ending, which, while tragic, seems almost inevitable.

I would recommend this film if you are into Art/Science at the same time.