The Second

The first minute of this film made me dislike the central character. I persevered with the movie for another hour feeling that it had possibility. Once the gore started it totally lost me. The plot is confused and silly. The characters are all one dimensional and unlikable. Don't waste 90 minutes of your life on this nonsense.

Rachael Blake plays a novelist who's extremely pleased with herself and makes a point of being either sour or enigmatic or both simultaneously. She and her publisher (Vince Colossimo) visit her country mansion so she can write her second novel without distractions. He seems extremely dim - for a publisher. But that's handy because all she seems to want from him is sex, or to be able to humiliate him. Nothing much happens for the first half hour. Except we meet the standard menacing local bloke in a flannelette shirt, and there are flashes of past somethings - very brief, too brief to stimulate much anticipation. Then the novelist's fun-loving besty (Susie Porter) turns up, and larger hints are made about the dark secret of their past, but not much happens that you don't expect will happen. A triangle develops, the dark secret is gradually revealed, but are the "shocking" scenes we see part of the novel being written, or are they really happening? I didn't care. This is one of those 20 minute stories that are chopped up into 90 minute jigsaw puzzles in the hope that you won't notice that not much is going on. As far as interesting characters or story are concerned, "The Second" woefully neglects its audience.

You don't often see something of this quality, great scenery, acting and a twisty, almost implausible plot combined to perfection.

Not much positive to say, except that the landscapes were often stunning.

Fascinating, strong female characters, clever dialogue and an intriguing puzzle of a plot. I was gripped from start to finish. This is courageous Australian filmmaking. Delicious! More please!!!