The Proposition movie poster"This land will be civilised."

The local constable, Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone), captures Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) and younger brother Mikey, wanted for rape and murder of a settler family. Captain Stanley presents Charlie with an ultimatum; go out into the Ranges, beyond the reach of the law, to capture or kill older brother Arthur, or else Mikey will be hanged in nine days, on Christmas day.

While Charlie sets off across a harsh, hostile landscape to find Arthur (Danny Houston) and his gang, holed up in hostile territory controlled by rebel natives, Stanley has to contend with mutiny among his men, a vengeful, self-righteous mayor (David Wenham) and keep safe his well-bred wife Martha (Emily Watson).

The spirits of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah fill this lyrical, beautiful and sad tale that is also shocking, brutal, filthy and savagely violent. This is an 1880's Western. In Australia. Read more of this post