The Proposition

Too many times, a person of formidable talent(s) precedes his or her own fortuity and gambles by biting off more than they can chew. Sometimes, that person finds that the aforementioned talents truly are diverse and capable of much spreading; other times that person finds those talents have been spread far too thin. Thankfully, this is not the case with "The Proposition," whose screenplay is by Nick Cave, of "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds," as well as numerous other musical projects, many of which relate to film. His luscious, vast and brutally violent story not only had the luck to be produced, but it was produced in such a fine way one might venture to state, it had been realized fully.

Australia's wild and untamed Outback has such a rich, almost savage history, it is practically begging for the pervasively aggressive film world to translate its stories into those akin to the United States' own Western genre. Without question, "The Proposition" is one of the definitive stories to be told in from an Australian's perspective. However, the genius of the screenplay, acting and filmmaking is with the simplest of tweaks, Cave could have easily made this a story for any geographical setting. The story is universal, but the decision to set it against the frightening vastness of the Outback really creates near perfection.

Jumping, literally, into the action, "The Proposition" begins after a particularly brutal crime against a small group of colonials, which garners the attention of Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) and the people who make the decisions over him, Eden Fletcher (David Wenham). Making the two remaining Burns brothers, Charlie (Guy Pearce) and Mike (Richard Wilson) an offer of, the oldest and most nefarious of an already despicable clan, Arthur (Danny Huston). What follows is an intensely violent, yet never over the top account of Charlie's journey to find and eradicate his kin. Cave wisely chose not to make any of his characters sympathetic, even the lovely Emma Watson, as Stanley's wife, is so irritating one cannot completely be empathetic with her awkward relationship with her husband. However, it is Huston, son of legendary John Huston, who steals the show. So complete and deeply rooted is the pure venom he emanates to his fellow man, that one is hardly capable of recognizing him as a human himself.

"The Proposition" is more than quality filmmaking; it is a complete film. It looks, sounds and acts exactly as it should. The pervasiveness of the violence somehow completes the circle that was started with the screenplay. Sometimes over the top, but capable of reeling itself in when the time most asks for it. While it expresses some of the typical western motifs, it is original in its treatment of its characters. The truthfulness in the excessively yellow teeth, matted hair and gaunt bodies is a testament to the actors' willingness to portray people as a love of the character, not a love of their own looks. Thoughtful, without missing a beat, "The Proposition," is simply one of the best you will see this year.

The DVD from First Look Pictures has a nice 1.85:1 aspect ratio that fully captures the immense landscape Australia has to offer. Also offering a rare DTS track, the sound extension that resonates through the surround channels will have you looking around your corner as bullets fly. Filling out the rest of the disc is a miniscule featurette, which is really the only disappointing aspect to this great film.