Two Australian sprinters face the brutal realities of war when they are sent to fight in the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I.
The Australian sprinters from the outback are played persuasively by MEL Gibson and MARK LEE, both young and enthusiastic as the runners who form a close bond despite the fact that Gibson's character is not anxious to fight with the troops in a war far removed from his homeland.
The story is a bit ponderous for the first half, gradually building up the relationship of two youths who become the best of mates once they both enter the armed forces. But the buildup has enough holding power to keep the viewer watching until the climactic battle scenes, obviously designed to show the futility and horrors of trench warfare in 1914. The final freeze shot of Lee's character emphasizes the tragedy of it all--what with missed communications causing the war to continue instead of coming to a halt when Gibson's message arrives too late to save a futile situation with men being slaughtered.
Gorgeous color photography of bleak landscapes and battle scenes and colorful Turkish scenes of soldiers on liberty is stunning to behold. Mark Lee is astonishing as Archy and Mel Gibson equally good as his cocky "mate." It's easy to see why Gibson's star went on the rise after this film, but hard to tell why Mark Lee never reached the same heights despite a successful career abroad.
Well worth viewing.
The Australian sprinters from the outback are played persuasively by MEL Gibson and MARK LEE, both young and enthusiastic as the runners who form a close bond despite the fact that Gibson's character is not anxious to fight with the troops in a war far removed from his homeland.
The story is a bit ponderous for the first half, gradually building up the relationship of two youths who become the best of mates once they both enter the armed forces. But the buildup has enough holding power to keep the viewer watching until the climactic battle scenes, obviously designed to show the futility and horrors of trench warfare in 1914. The final freeze shot of Lee's character emphasizes the tragedy of it all--what with missed communications causing the war to continue instead of coming to a halt when Gibson's message arrives too late to save a futile situation with men being slaughtered.
Gorgeous color photography of bleak landscapes and battle scenes and colorful Turkish scenes of soldiers on liberty is stunning to behold. Mark Lee is astonishing as Archy and Mel Gibson equally good as his cocky "mate." It's easy to see why Gibson's star went on the rise after this film, but hard to tell why Mark Lee never reached the same heights despite a successful career abroad.
Well worth viewing.