Limbo

If you're looking for a violent, action-packed, Hollywood-type film you won't find it here & you'll probably write a snarky IMDB review. If, however, you prefer strong characterization, atmospheric settings, a gripping plot & perfect casting, this is your cup of Aussie tea. I was halfway through the film before I realized it was B/W - I only knew that the general feel of the extraordinary setting grabbed me from the first couple of minutes. Simon Baker is in top form & the rest of the casting was perfect for each role. The story line is strong and the film doesn't deviate from the central plot, but we are given a broad picture of all other characters and their relationship to the main conflict - it all works seamlessly yet intricately. This is one of the best films I've seen in a long time & happily recommend it.

Limbo is a murder mystery, but more importantly, it is the story of prejudice, neglect, and discrimination.

A detective from the city (unwillingly?) came (to review a 20 yrs old cold case of the murder of an aboriginal girl) to a remote outback city fittingly named Limbo, coz the city as well as the residents seem to be in a perpetual state of limbo.

The motel, where he stays, the residence of key characters, and a few other buildings are repurposed (old & abandoned) opal mines, giving the city a medieval feel. The attitude of authorities (law and order) towards the majority aboriginal community is of racism and apathy and can be best described as medieval. This is also reflected in their profession, at least the way the investigation was done in this particular case. The key characters are also in a state of emotional limbo - the battered detective (with a failed marriage and an estranged kid) and the victim's siblings with the feeling of bitterness, frustration, and helplessness, are unable to move on in life due to the injustice done and lack of a closer.

The slow pace of the narrative, characters, and camera added with minimal dialogues and hauntingly beautiful black & white cinematography, especially the slow, panning, wide-angle drone shots at night, enhances this feeling and you feel that you are in limbo too.

Set against the backdrop of Australia's outback region, Limbo is an unsettling crime drama that sees Detective Simon Baker investigate a 20-year-old cold case involving an Aboriginal woman who went missing years ago. Written by Ivan Sen (who also directed) and featuring his unique score, Limbo presents viewers with raw emotion while driving home how injustice has scarred both land and people.

The film uses breathtaking black-and-white cinematography to create an ominous atmosphere that emphasises isolation and desolation - further underscoring each character's plight through extended shots coupled with minimal dialogue that helps viewers feel every ounce of pain each character experiences. The location is a key element in Limbo, from the rusted-out cars to the deserted streets and lunar-like landscapes.

Themes such as guilt are explored poignantly in Limbo. At the same time, it delves deep into redemption whilst examining limbo as both physical space or spiritual states - touching on heavier subjects sensitively throughout its runtime.

Simon Baker transforms into this jaded detective plagued by heroin addiction - delivering the best performance I have seen from him. The remaining cast, including Rob Collins and Natasha Wanganeen, also deliver great performances as they each process their painful coping mechanisms. Nicholas Hope delivers a standout performance as an enigmatic prospector in Limbo. His portrayal brings an element of mystery tinged with menace. Another significant positive of the film is Sen's atmospheric score which blends electronic sounds with traditional acoustic instruments to create a compelling mood filled with melancholy notes underscored by tension. This all combines into making Limbo what could be considered an acquired taste film - one that not everyone will find gripping due to its unhurried pacing coupled with, at times, disheartening themes. Limbo does not offer superficial resolutions but instead prompts us into introspection on Australian culture, both past and present.

Despite its dark themes and melancholy pace, I recommend viewing it by those who love artistic expression and deeper social considerations. I liked it.

I have watched and do follow Australian TV and cinema and the likes of "Black Snow" and "Limbo" only seem to have scratched the tip of the iceberg in terms of racism... "Limbo" feels even more personal though. You can see it in the austere setting and cinematography, sparse dialogue, superb delicate and minimalist method acting, symbolism throughout... seems black and white, but there truly are far more shades of grey to start snowballing a real conversion which, in all fairness, never, in a million years, have I thought Aussies needed to tackle... At the end of the day, this IS a "whodunnit", but at a much larger scale... TOTALLY RECOMMENDED!

Aside from the stunning cinematography and some convincing performances, This movie is a recycled crime noir half-baked from the clichés of the genre. The story just ticks off the tropes of a lonesome, emotional wreck sort of cop who gets too personally involved in a case. No real reasons are offered for the detective's emotional involvement nor the way he resolves the mess the victim's family is in. The bleak detective 1. Has a broken marriage, 2. An estranged son, and 3. The guilt of killing someone in the past. He also is a drug addict and his addiction plays no role in his major decision-making moments nor becomes a struggle to prevent him from performing his heroic actions.

--Spoiler Alert--- The story unfolds as the victim's family refuses to talk to the detective because he is a cop and a white one too. Now that the trope is ticked off and we have some conflicts arrayed, the plot jumps over resolving this conflict and simply have the family members, without any change in their external or internal circumstances, to not only cooperate with him but also see him as a dear friend to the point of confiding their utmost feelings or reaching out for help in their very messed up family matters. The story conveniently ignores the fact that such a degree of vulnerability can only be shared with someone who has earned that kind of trust, and it fails even to offer a single trope-driven scene to cover this point.

Moving on to the next trope, when the lonesome detective gets to play a saviour to the victim's brother while drunk driving and a shoulder to cry for the victim's sister when she suddenly confides her twenty-year-old guilt, we are to believe that a cop who himself finds refuge in drugs to run away from his own dark feelings is so adeptly capable of giving generous care and compassion to some strangers. While it is possible for an emotional wreck to empathize with others, in this case, we have a character whose choice for dealing with emotional upheavals is escape. If this approach is to change, we must see him going through a serious struggle to earn that sort of mental strength, but again the story simply lets him without paying any price to switch gear and offer a great deal of openness and courage.

Mentioned above are only a few issues, there are too many complaisant moments in this film that make it barely engaging, yet the overwhelmingly positive feedback given on this website (currently at %95) which I believe is mostly from Australian critics indicates one thing. We set a much lower bar for an Australian film.