Blu-ray review: ‘Strangerland’ starring Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving

When children go missing, it typically brings parents together, but not in the unforgiving deserts of Australia. In Strangerland, directed by Kim Farrant and starring Nicole Kidman, a tragedy only pulls the parents apart, as there’s no room for optimism in a world that could easily be swept away by the next dust storm.

The Strangerland of the title for Catherine (Kidman) and Matthew Parker (Joseph Fiennes) is Nathgari, a remote desert town they have been forced to move to after their promiscuous 15-year-old daughter Lily (Madison Brown) had an affair with her teacher. The Parkers, who also have a young son named Tommy (Nicholas Hamilton), are outcasts and struggle to fit into their new community.

One day, Lily and Tommy go missing. David Rae (Hugo Weaving) is assigned to investigate and as the days go by without answers, Catherine and Matthew’s relationship continues to deteriorate. Rather than try to find their children together, they blame each other and continue to drift apart.

Strangerland is the kind of movie you have to be in a very self-deprecating mood for. It’s dark and too slow for its own good. Farrant often seems obsessed with belittling the family drama, written by Fiona Seres and Michael Kinirons, with wide, expansive shots of the Australian desert. We already know where the film is set and that the situation is dire. You don’t have to keep reminding us.

The film also stumbles a bit in casting. Oh, Kidman is at her usual best, but Joseph Fiennes is miscast as Matthew. His older brother Ralph has a much more commanding presence on the screen and might have fit the part better. Hugo Weaving is also plugged into the film as the investigating officer, stuck mostly reacting to the behavior of the Parkers than actually doing things. (Indeed, the case breakthrough is made by Matthew, not the detective.)

Running nearly two hours, Strangerland is more cumbersome than it should be. And its ending is so bleak and dreary that there is little chance anyone would ever want to see it a second time, even if you liked it.

The Blu-ray comes out on Aug. 18 from Alchemy. The only bonus features are two featurettes that run under 10 minutes and combine interviews with film clips.