DVD Reviews: Rabbit-Proof Fence (collector's edition)

How on earth do you review a movie like this and do it any form of justice? It has been quite some time since a film has affected me on such an emotional level. The sheer power of the storyline leaves you speechless and in my case, in tears at the end of the story.

The tale deals with the true story of the Stolen Generation of young Aboriginal children from their parents that occurred from the 1930's even up as recently as the 1970's. This loathsome and disgusting practice was carried out by the Government in the "interests" of the young children, many of whom were half-caste (half Aboriginal/half white). The kids in this instance were taken to a settlement at Moore River and became wards of the state.

Rabbit-Proof Fence deals with three such children who were sent to Moore River and escaped, using the rabbit-proof fence that was erected as a guide to get them home to their mother. Bear in mind that their mother is 1500 miles away from them and the eldest child only 14, being chased by professional trackers and you will only begin to see the sort of hardship they experienced during the trip that took them 9 weeks to complete on foot.

The movie is must view material, not only as it's a brilliant film, but also for the historical aspect of it. The cinematography is inspired and does acclaimed director Phillip Noyce proud. Aside from the excellence of the camerawork, Noyce had the task of taking three young children with no experience and turning them into young actors for his movie. This is documented on the second disc of this two disc collectors edition and is fascinating viewing.

Accompanying the movie is a evocative score by Peter Gabriel that suits perfectly and sounds wonderful through a good speaker setup. The film doesn't over do it on the sound front and with this type of material certainly isn't the sort of movie you want things whizzing in and out of your speakers during.

Make sure you watch all the extras on the second disc as they compliment the first disc perfectly and have a box of tissues ready when watching the movie. Follow your heart and follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence. I can guarantee that this movie will hold a valued place in your DVD collection for many years to come.

Highest Recommendation.