Heaven's Burning

I love movies that take me totally by surprise. Turned on the TV, saw a Russel Crowe movie I'd never heard of was starting in a minute and decided I'd give it a whirl. For the next 100 minutes, I don't remember breathing. What could be described as a formulaic detective, on the lam movie was packed with the little things that make movies worth watching.

It has a stellar leading cast who evolve in totally unpredictable ways over a very short period. Throw in your typical colorful Aussie characters, tribal Afghan crazies, and Japanese you'd never see act that way in Japan and let the bullets fly.

Maybe I also really enjoyed it because in a cast of misfits and crazies, the one who turned out to be the craziest (who starts off the sanest) is driving around the countryside on my motorcycle, a beautiful black Triumph Thunderbird (although it could have been a bonnie, but I don't think so).

But I really enjoyed the subtle things that separate good movies from bad. There are thematic (and landscape) shifts, accurate and slightly ugly social commentary, a little philosophizing, Afghan woman with hijaab as computer hacker, and tasty Aussie back-country scenes (the corner country bar, B&S dance), and some father/son dynamics to go with typical on the lam love developing.

So see this movie, I bet you'll find things you like about it too.

Ok, so this isn't your typical shoot them up movie or a romantic comedy or drama in any way. It's a combination of everything, and for me it is quite effective. The story is told very well. There are funny moments, touching moments, and enough action/violence to keep the viewer interested throughout. I didn't expect anything before I saw it so I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously it is no Gladiator, but as a Russell Crowe fan I gotta say once again he does not disappoint.

When I was reading other users' comments it occurred to me that the film is a "cruel romance". What Nick Cave did with his "Murder Ballads", but on the screen. I believe, the film has something in common with "Night Cowboy", "Knocking on Heaven's Door", but it has neither the raw prose of life of the former, nor the sentimental appeal of the latter. It's meant to be viewed with a touch of irony, a touch of "stepping aside". It's intentionally overdone here and there, but it doesn't spoil the story, it's the mark of the genre. Personally I welcomed this Australian variety of "cruel romance", it's a rest from sickeningly earnest Hollywood stuff.

Well, I watched this again after seeing Russell Crowe in The Insider.

THE reason to watch this movie, in my mind, is the last five minutes. If you've read the title, I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say that it's the sort of poetically cataclysmic ending you'd expect from the best of film noir...bringing to mind a vague connection with Kiss Me Deadly...and the only way to end any good road movie. That said, the rest of the movie is pure B...true to the noir roots...and whether or not the mistranslations and boom mike shadows were intentional is somewhat irrelevant. You may laugh, you may not, but at worst it's a quirky, passably interesting vehicle to the "good" part.

As for Crowe, well, fans may enjoy, but no one's really given enough time or lines to shine in this movie. Or establish believable relationships for that matter. They're grim characters on a silent march to their doom, leaving a path of carnage and (I must insist quite relevant) dead bystanders in their wake.

Admittedly I'm a dedicated Crowe fan and have almost all his old movies but when I first got Heaven's Burning I found it a bit odd and would have said - well all great actors have to put in time on mediocre movies before they get to the top stuff. However after watching it again today for about the sixth or seventh time, I have to say that it really is very watchable. Even those awful sideburns. But thanks for not inflicting them on us again Russell. Yes its a road movie crossed with Bonnie & Clyde,Aussie version, but the tender little love story, the fast pace, the violent bits and the collection of grotesque characters met on the way make for an interesting ride.