The latest example as to why many shun Australian films, Strangerland features a strong cast yet is undermined at every turn by questionable, pretentious storytelling.

Despite most of her work and success achieved in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman very much exemplifies that Australian film industry: great performances delivered, yet featured in subpar movies. Strangerland is the latest Australian film to be just that, and what a waste it is.

Set in the remote Northern Territory city of Nathgari, Kidman stars alongside Joseph Fiennes as Catherine and Matthew Parker, a fractured couple aiming for a fresh start in a new town, thanks to the wild behaviour of their teenage daughter Lily (Maddison Brown) running them out of their previous homestead.

When Lily and her younger brother Tommy (Nicholas Hamilton) disappear without a trace, Catherine goes into a downward spiral that drags us into a whirlwind of pretentious Arthouse nonsense posturing as…well no one knows exactly.

On one hand Strangerland is a somewhat interesting crime mystery, with Hugo Weaving delivering solid work as a detective looking for answers yet finding only confusion. However frustrating character and story development outweighs its few good qualities, robbing Strangerland of the stakes needed to make it a story worth buying into and characters worth rooting for.

It is hard to figure out how Strangerland managed to snag such a great cast. Perhaps the lure of doing something “meaningful” and “character driven” was enough to pull Kidman and Weaving away from their comfy Hollywood confides, yet considering Strangerland is neither meaningful nor worthy of emotional investment (exactly how the disappearance of children fails to tap any sort of passionate response is a mystery), perhaps it’s just an issue of bad taste from all involved.

As directed by Kim Farrant (her feature debut) and based on a script by Michael Kinirons and Fiona Seres, Strangerland exemplifies why it’s hard to sell Australian made films to the public (it had a very limited run in cinemas). The potential was there to create something intriguing (at the very least), yet for every step forward it takes three back, a couple to the side and then does the arty-farty boogie.

The films main strength are its performances. Kidman in particular is good selling a vulnerability and simmering sexual tension, yet the material just isn’t there for her to do anything more. One scene where Kidman’s broken down Catherine wears her daughters slutty attire in an attempt to get inside her young Lily’s skin, is just the kind of eye rolling dreck that leads many to groan at the combined words “Australian movie”.

It’s great that Kidman and Weaving continue to star in local productions. Hopefully next time it will be for a film worth recommending.