Tracks – Film Review
Director: John Curran
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver and Emma Booth
Release Date: Apr 25
Based on the novel of the same name, Tracks follows the true story of Robyn Davidson (Wasikowska) as she treks 1,700 miles across the Australian outback, with only her dog and four camels for company, and only her burning desire to be alone driving her on her mission.
There is a lot to like about this film, whether it’s the spirited performance of the leading lady, the otherworldly beauty of the existing Australian wilderness or the intriguing portrayal of civilization that Robyn sketches for us. Like her, we take this journey for the journey itself and not for the destination.
As a character, Robyn is a curious case study. She doesn’t fall easily into any single category. She is both likable yet airily naive. She is a capable young woman, yet typically prone to emotional outbursts. At times, she comes across as even unstable, yet she is generally in a state of amicable zen. The one enduring character trait she possesses is her introverted nature.
Her reasons for undertaking this incredibly dangerous journey are never fully explained, and there is no obvious closure to her journey on an emotional level, which will surely be irritating to some. She is shown to be dismissive, and even hostile, towards inquisitive minds. It feels as though the lack of any spiritual enlightenment, or personal revelations, are quite deliberate, as a way of conveying the overarching message of the film: this is her journey, and no one else’s.
As a result, we are forced to be the back-hump drivers, simply taking in the gorgeous scenery. It starts off a little slow, walking us through Robyn’s process of training for the journey ahead, lightly peppered with a bit of back-story and explaining how she gets the money and supplies for the trip.
For any camel lovers out there, there is also a lovely little summary of Australian camel history and their behavior when running wild in the outback.
Did you know that Australia has the largest population of wild camels in the world?
You do now!
This opening act builds momentum but falls a little flat once Robyn actually begins her pilgrimage. The central issue here is there simply isn’t a very good sense of scale. Robyn is told on several occasions that 17,000 miles is an impossible distance to trek across. It soon becomes apparent that the reason she is told this is so often is because the film doesn’t really know how to actually show it.
There are very few wide shots and almost no tracking shots to speak of, making the entire journey itself feel very contained.
Similarly, while a subtitle informs us of what day into the trek Robyn is on, we don’t get a sense of this time actually passing. The camera jumps around so quickly, with hardly any lingering shots, that this life threatening journey actually feels quite casual. She is portrayed as becoming more and more worn as the journey progresses, her skin getting drier, her eyes growing dimmer, yet it simply isn’t very believable.
It’s a good thing that there are quite a few checkpoints on this journey then, to distract us from this issue. The best of these occur when Robyn meets the aboriginal tribes, enjoying their alienation from civilization and simple way of life.
For a brief period of the film, she is accompanied by an aboriginal elder, who is wonderfully endearing and well rounded for a character who has only twenty minutes screen-time and almost no English at all. Their unique friendship, however brief, is a direct counterpoint to the monotony of everyday encounters that Robyn is trying to escape from.
Other standouts include a very hazy, possibly-a-dream-sequence encounter with a dirt biker, a run-in with a group of insatiable reporters and a rather intense moment with her faithful dog.
While Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland may have painted Wasikowska as nothing more than a beautiful waif, her varied roles in recent films appear to be an active attempt to step away from that image.
In a film such as this, where she shares the screen with only camels and sand about 60% of the time , you would be forgiven for thinking that Mia Wasikowska submits nothing more than a decent, or passable, performance.
However, with a keen eye, you may notice slight nuances that truly distinguish her as an actress. An almost imperceptible frown here, an expressive tilt of the head there…it’s undoubtedly a subtle performance, not one that draws attention to itself, yet a well- defined one nonetheless.
This of course won’t be to everyone’s tastes. In fact, almost all of the more exciting moments of the film, such as the snake that crawls across her as she sleeps, feel misplaced or accidental.
Those who enjoy rousing speeches or Gerard Butler screaming about how “This is Sparta!” will most likely come out of this disappointed…if they wander in at all.
Despite the often beautiful imagery and inspiring story, this is a film only for those who can appreciate the subtleties. The performances are all rock solid, even if they don’t take your breath away.
This is especially true of Adam Driver, who portrays a photographer from the National Geographic as mindlessly irritating.
If you can see past the surface of that character, and understand both how and why he does so, Tracks may very well appeal to you.
If not, well, make you own tracks and go see Captain America: The Winter Soldier instead.
Score: 3/5
Written by Stephen Hill
